Decades of dedication to tea, crafted into a cup of Tianmu tea

Throughout the development of Lin’an’s tea industry, Mr. Yuan Shaohua has been a veteran tea professional and witness to the evolution of Lin’an’s tea industry.

(Mr. Yuan Shaohua is recounting past events)

With more than 50 years of experience in the tea industry, he has worked from the former state-owned Lin’an Tea Factory to tea technology research and development. As a senior tea-making engineer and a researcher of local tea history, he has participated in, and contributed to the restoration, growth, and innovation of Tianmu Qingding tea. For half of his life, he has remained rooted in the Tianmu tea mountains, preserving Lin’an’s local tea culture and traditional tea-making techniques.

(Mr. Yuan Shaohua is looking through the tea factory’s archives.)

Recently, we visited Mr. Yuan Shaohua and listen to the stories of a veteran tea maker.Sitting by the tea table, Mr. Yuan recalled his memories of the state-owned tea factory. He shared insights into traditional tea-making techniques, vintage tea packaging, and overseas exports. He also talked about the development journey of Tianmu Qingding tea.

(Hand-drawn map of the eastern part of Tianmu Mountain)

(Archives of the State-owned Lin’an Tea Factory)

(Vintage photograph of the State-owned Lin’an Tea Factory)

The preserved archives, old drawings, and historic tea-making items on site help us understand the development of Lin’an’s tea industry. They also show the dedication of the older generation of tea makers to their craft.

During this visit, we recorded and collected a wealth of valuable personal stories and exclusive historical materials:
· Stories behind the historic tea-making items
· The development journey and production techniques of Tianmu Qingding, a renowned tea from Lin’an
· The essence of traditional tea-making craftsmanship preserved by the older generation of tea makers
· The stories and dedication of the older generation of tea makers, who preserved traditional tea-making techniques and devoted themselves to their craft.

From this story onward, we will follow the stories of veteran tea makers to explore the culture of Tianmu Mountain tea and the continuation of traditional tea-making techniques.