Silk Tea and Cuisine
Meijiawu is located in the southwestern part of Hangzhou, two kilometers northwest of the Bamboo-lined Path at Yunqi, a West Lake scenic spot. The 700-year-old, ecologically healthy village has 133 hectares of tea plantation, and as the original Longjing tea producing region, it is a protected area and home to about 540 tea-farming households.
A five-kilometer road and tunnel were built in May 2000, which enabled the development of this village into a major tea leisure area. There are about 160 teahouses currently, which have increased incomes of farmer andpublic recreation resources for citizens to meet tourist demand. The refurbishment has also transformed the formerly shabby appearance of the village.
Longjing tea produced at Meijiawu is of the best quality. The tea leaves are picked at four different times each year, producing four types of Longjing Tea: Pre-Ching Ming Tea, Pre-Grain Rain Tea, Third Spring (Beginning of Summer) Tea, and Fourth Spring (Lesser Fullness) Tea. Thereinto, Pre-Ching Ming Tea, which is picked before the solar term Ching Ming, is the most precious one. As a popular tourist attraction with unique charm, Meijiawu now has over 160 tea houses and various historical and cultural scenic spots including ZHOU Enlai Memorial, Lingdang Mountain and Ligeng Hall.
(Source: Hangzhou West Lake Scenic Area Management Committee)
