A philosophical approach
Modern drinkers owe much to Lu Yu, the 'tea saint', who unlocked the mysteries of China's signature beverage, Cheng Yuezhu reports.
One day, while delving into ancient texts, Lin stumbled upon a steaming technique used during the Tang Dynasty, which transforms the enzymes in the tea and prevents the leaves from turning brown.
This led him to rethink the process of making Zisun Tea.
After countless attempts, and much trial and error, he finally came up with a modernized steaming technique that helps preserve the tea's distinct flavor, as well as substantially increasing its shelf life.
"Based on many ancient records, Zisun Tea enjoyed immense popularity. So, as an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, it is my duty to pass down the ancient tea-making technique from one generation to the next," Lin says.
Apart from producing tea, the factory is also a tourist destination, where visitors can admire the cliffside inscriptions left by Tang Dynasty scholars, study tea culture and history, or simply spend a quiet afternoon sipping tea amid the soothing scenery.
