Visiting the Wonderful Longjing Green Tea Fields of Hangzhou

China
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View of Green Tea Fields in Longjing, China

Green Tea Fields on the hills of Longjing

Chinese tea culture is rich in history, dating back thousands of years, and there is no better place to experience it than in Longjing. The Longjing Green Tea fields are some of the most famous in China and they are renowned for the highest quality Green Tea which has a unique flavor specific to Longjing.

Longjing Tea always been my favorite type of green tea so I couldn't pass up the chance of visiting the tea fields. The fields serve as a peaceful getaway from city life and are one of the best sights in the West Lake Scenic area of Hangzhou.

Chinese tea Farmers hat in the Longjing Tea Fields

Traditional farmers hat on a bench in the Longjing tea fields in Hangzhou, China

What is Longjing Tea?

Longjing Tea is a type of Green Tea that is grown in the West Lake Region of Hangzhou and the Longjing Tea Fields. The Green Tea has become one of China's most famous,

Longjing green tea, also known as Dragon Well tea and West Lake Longjing Tea. Longjing Tea is a renowned Chinese tea with a rich history dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). With it's tea fields located in the picturesque West Lake region of Hangzhou, China, Longjing tea is celebrated for its delicate flavor and unique flat, sword-shaped leaves. The taste is often described as sweet and nutty, with a subtle vegetal undertone and a lingering chestnut finish.

The West Lake variant of Hanghzou is known to produce some very high quality tea, and the Chinese tea industry is dominated by bags of this tasty Green Tea. Longjing tea is meticulously grown in the fertile soil of the West Lake senic area and plucked in early spring when the tea leaves are young and tender.

The two primary types of Longjing green tea are the Xihu (West Lake) Longjing and the Zhejiang Longjing. The West Lake Longjing Tea is considered to be the most popular amongst tea enthusiasts. As with all Chinese teas, Longjing Tea is grown from the Camellia sinensis plant, and it is the unique farming methods, careful leaf picking and rich soil which make this tea taste so great.

Longjing Tea is one of Chinas Most popular green teas and is often sold as a loose leaf tea. The first two weeks of the six-week harvest season yield the highest-quality teas for Dragon Well tea. The loose tea leaves must be hand-roasted the same day they are collected. This tea picked during the first two weeks is known as the First Flush and tea leaves coming from the First Flush are often the most expensive. Longjing tea's historical significance, distinct taste, and artisanal cultivation make it a treasured symbol of Chinese tea culture.

Longjing tea fields with farmers picking tea in Hangzhou, China

Visiting the Longjing Tea Fields

Upon arriving at the Longjing Green Tea fields, the first thing that stands out is the size of the tea plantation. The tea fields go up and across hillsides and cover almost every inch of this land. The fields can only be described as tranquil and idyllic and instantly reminded me of classic Chinese painting.

With not many tourists being there, it almost felt like I had the whole place to myself. Walk up the hills past thousands of tea plants and on your way you will be greeted by friendly Chinese tea farmers. Many of the farmers you pass by will be picking tea leaves which is an interesting experience as you get to see this.

Longjing tea fields village houses and tea plantations in Hangzhou, China

Buying Longjing Tea From Farmers

Watching the farmers pick the tea made me want to try some for myself. I found a small village area where some of the local farmers were pan-roasting the tea right outside their front doors. There are many teahouses within the area and I recommend visiting at least one. This way you will get to familiarize yourself better with Longjing tea and the process by which it’s made.

Traditional village and tea plantations at the Longjing Tea Fields in Hangzhou, China

The Longjing Tea was also available for sale around the village, and shortly after viewing the tea roasting process, I started looking for some tea leaves to buy.

I found a farmer who was offering a bag of loose leaf tea for 30 RMB per 100 grams which was roughly 4 USD at the time. This was very cheap for Longjing Green Tea so my expectations were not high. But beware some prices around the village could be a lot higher than that depending on the quality of the tea and when it was picked.

This was some of the cheapest I have bought and it turned out to be some of the best Longjing Green Tea I have ever tasted. The Longjing Tea had floral notes with a nutty roasted taste and a grassy freshness.

The taste was as expected from a very high grade Longjing Tea and when visiting a Chinese tea shop in a city I would expect this to cost up to 10 times what I paid. Maybe this was a benefit of visiting during the early spring tea season as farmers seemed to be processing and roasting a lot of tea leaves around the village

Visiting Teahouses and experiencing a Tea Ceremony

Visiting teahouses is easy in Longjing, however most of these are not traditional Chinese teahouses. The teahouses near the tea plantations consist of farmers selling their tea directly from a small shop inside their house.

These farmers selling tea directly can give you a more homely feel but for those looking for a traditional teahouse it will be difficult to find here. Some will offer a tea ceremony whilst other's wont. Prices are negotiable in some shops in the area whilst some are fixed prices. English is limited in Longjing so try to brush up on your Chinese or plan to visit with a tour guide or Chinese friend.

Farmers picking tea in the Longjing Green Tea Fields

Exploring the hills of the Longjing Green Tea Fields

Buying and sampling some of the world's finest Longjing Green Tea gave me some extra energy. So I decided to go on another walk through these fields and across different paths. This turned out to be a great decision.

When you’re in tea heaven you can't find a bad spot. Every path had something interesting, from farmers picking tea leaves to traditional Chinese houses. The Longjing tea fields are maze in the mountains and getting lost here is part of the adventure.

The hills and mountains of Longjing Tea Fields in Hangzhou, China

Reaching the top of these hills you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of fields upon fields of Chinese Green Tea. A walk around the hills of the Longjing Green Tea fields will give you a beautiful adventure and allow you to see the type of landscapes you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

How to get to the Longjing Tea Fields

The Longjing Green Tea fields are free to enter and are easy to reach by public bus 27 from Hangzhou City. The short journey only takes around 1 hour.

When is the best time to Visit the Lonjing Tea Fields?

I conveniently visited the tea field at the perfect time of year in early spring, when farmers had began picking the first flush tea leaves. I would highly recommend Early Spring but if you can't make it at that time then any time of year would be great as this is not a location to be missed.

Travelers visiting Hangzhou or nearby towns should make it a priority to visit Longjing. These plantations are such an integral part of Chinese tea culture. Within easy reach of the city, there is no reason why anyone should not go. Even if you are not a tea lover, visiting the Longjing Green Tea fields for peace and tranquility is just as significant.

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