April Calls for Tea: A Guide to China's Freshest Spring Tea Origins

Tea farmers pick West Lake Longjing in a light rain.

The source regions of spring tea are the most coveted spring travel destinations for tea lovers.

Perhaps every tea lover has their own golden origin in their heart.

As winter gives way to spring, shades of green become the dominant theme across China’s landscape, and tea harvesting and processing begin from south to north and west to east.

These golden origins of fine tea have taken on a lively new appearance.

The ancient tea forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, Yunnan, are shrouded in mist.

Farmers are busy picking tea in the Longjing tea mountains.

The tea plantations in Anhui are already lush with greenery.

The cherry blossom tea garden train in Zhangping, Fujian, forms a unique scenic attraction.

Tea enthusiasts’ pursuit of the first fresh sip each year is deeply ingrained in their blood—they favor spring and spring tea alike. "Origin" is undoubtedly the golden standard they rely on when buying tea. To bring more high-quality teas from their origins into the public eye, Douyin E-commerce’s "Golden Origin Plan" delves into multiple source regions, uncovering the stories behind these treasured teas and allowing beautiful scenery and fine tea to complement each other.

The fame and stories of these origins stem not only from the natural charm of their landscapes but also from the local tea masters’ dedication to preserving exquisite craftsmanship.

The origin is the essential "ID card" of good tea.

"Master Wang, we’re short one for mahjong!" At 2 p.m., in the misty Wuyi Mountains, the mahjong buddies started calling again downstairs for Wang Shunming, a inheritor of Wuyi Rock Tea (Da Hong Pao) production techniques.

Master Wang resisted the temptation and replied calmly, "Not today—we’re starting tea production tonight, and it’ll be an all-nighter."

Wuyi Rock Tea, a renowned tea produced in the Danxia landform of Wuyi Mountain, is a key variety of Fujian oolong. Its quality is categorized based on the harvest origin as "Zhengyan, Banyan, Zhoucha, or Waishan." Among these, "Zhengyan tea," grown in the core area of Wuyi Rock, is the finest—so much so that even Master Wang Shunming dare not take it lightly.

Wuyi Rock Tea is an oolong with a distinctive "rock rhyme" quality.

Douyin’s Golden Origin Masters: Wang Shunming, Fan Shenghua, Ruan Dianrong, and Ke Zelong.

In Zhejiang, Longjing tea has been famous since ancient times, renowned for its green color, subtle fragrance, sweet taste, and beautiful shape. Mastering its production requires proficiency in ten frying techniques and nine processing steps, with Fan Shenghua, a inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of West Lake Longjing production techniques, being one of the finest practitioners.

Fresh green leaves are transformed into cups of fine tea under the masters’ craftsmanship.

When it comes to Pu'er tea in Yunnan, Menghai is inseparable from the conversation. In the late 1990s, Ruan Dianrong, then director of Menghai Tea Factory, integrated Menghai’s tea industry into Yunnan’s Pu'er era. Today, through Douyin E-commerce livestreams, she shares the charm of Pu'er tea on a broader platform, allowing more consumers to learn about the mysterious yet authentic origins of Yunnan tea from home and conveniently purchase genuine teas with verified origins, vintages, and blends.

The ancient tea trees of Lao Ban Zhang in Menghai, Yunnan.

Chaozhou is known in tea circles as "the place that knows tea best." The Phoenix Dancong produced here is representative of the region's tea. To master Phoenix Dancong, understanding its aroma profiles is essential. Ke Zelong, also a inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, has studied tea-making techniques for years and can eloquently explain its ten major aroma types and numerous subcategories. Upholding the fine traditions of older generations while being innovative, he has researched and developed multiple techniques to improve the quality of Phoenix Dancong tea.

In Chaozhou's Phoenix Mountain, the new tea leaves are lush and green.

Douyin Golden Origin Masters: Fang Genmin, Liu Wenxin, Xie Sishi, Jin Xun.

Different skills, the same dedication and passion. Through Douyin E-commerce's "Golden Origin Plan," we will learn more about their stories, techniques, and the charm of the source regions.

It is the unique terroir, mountains, and rivers of each region, combined with the cultural and technical heritage of tea makers and their sense of responsibility to protect the source regions, that together create the diverse tea aromas across China.

A unique land nurtures unique tea.

Consumers seek authenticity, value for money, and great taste in tea.

This is no exaggeration. Imagine wandering into a quiet tea shop, looking for a high-quality yet affordable tea. The merchant invites you to taste and starts talking about tea energy, etherealness, and clarity... All you think is "it's sweet and fragrant," leaving you wondering: Why is buying tea so complicated?

Today, the tea industry is evolving with the times. Douyin E-commerce's "Golden Origin Plan" aims to bring truly good tea from source regions directly to consumers. Every tea here undergoes strict selection, with astonishing quality control, delivered straight from the origin to your table.

Sipping a worry-free cup of spring tea is the seasonal wish of many tea lovers.

Follow Douyin E-commerce's "Golden Origin Plan" and savor a cup of spring freshness!

This article is original content from [Di Dao Feng Wu].