Fujian is the birthplace of Oolong Tea, Black Tea, white tea, and jasmine-scented tea. It was also a significant starting point for the ancient Maritime Silk Road and the Great Tea Road. The tea industry has become a vital and advantageous sector in Fujian, ranking among the top nationwide in various indicators. In the context of high-quality development, how can we reinvigorate this miraculous leaf and stimulate the internal driving force for rural revitalization? In recent years, Fujian has been making efforts to integrate Tea culture, industry, and technology effectively, accelerating the transformation from a major tea-producing province to a strong one.
In the ecological tea garden of Yanzikeng Village, Xingcun Town, Wuyishan City, Nanping City, Fujian Province, the tea mountains are lush and green, with tourists strolling around. On March 22, 2025, President Xi Jinping visited here to learn about the development of the tea industry. He emphasized the need to integrate tea culture, industry, and technology, adhere to the green development direction, strengthen brand awareness, optimize marketing and distribution environments, and lay a solid industrial foundation for rural revitalization.
Recently, reporters from the Economic Daily conducted in-depth investigations in key tea-producing areas such as Wuyishan City, Anxi County, Fuding City, Zhangping City, and Shouning County to see how Fujian is following the direction pointed out by President Xi Jinping and shining the “golden business card” of the tea industry while integrating tea culture, industry, and technology.
Fujian Tea Leads Cultural Journeys
The mountainous Landscape of Fujian Province is dotted with tea trees, known as “southern fine woods” by the tea sage Lu Yu, producing diverse teas like Wuyi rock tea, Anxi Tieguanyin, and Fuding white tea. Fujian's tea culture is profound and rich, and it is the mission of Fujianese tea professionals to preserve and promote it. In recent years, various regions in Fujian have focused on excavating, organizing, and utilizing the historical and cultural resources of Fujian tea, building the Fujian tea culture brand, enhancing soft power in tea culture, and increasing the added value of tea products.
Located in Yanke Village, Pingxi Town, Shouning County, Fujian Saintfeng Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. has made extensive explorations in adhering to the integration of tea culture, industry, and technology and promoting the high-quality development of the tea industry over the past few years. According to Huang Gaoying, chairman of the company, the “Wild Little Tea” brand launched this year combines cultural heritage with innovative marketing, significantly enhancing the cultural quality of Shouning tea and its appeal, earning great favor from consumers.
In the modernized ecological industrial park of Eight Horses Tea in Wuyishan, the newly built Eight Horses Cultural Hall welcomes visitors from all directions. Upon entering the exhibition hall, one sees a dense array of square compartments. “The central area of our cultural hall houses a large tea pavilion containing 2,188 tea samples. The ceiling design features the Twelve Celestial Stems of China, symbolizing the tradition of Chinese Tea makers toiling under the stars and moon to make tea,” says Liu Yi, general manager of the comprehensive department at Fujian Wuyishan Wangxinji Tea Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Eight Horses Tea. The Eight Horses Cultural Hall focuses on spreading tea knowledge and culture, guiding visitors on a unique journey through tea culture.
In Fujian, similar tea culture exhibition halls are scattered throughout various tea-producing areas. On May 1st, the Yanzikeng “Integration of Tea Culture, Industry, and Technology” Exhibition Hall, located next to the Yanzikeng Ecological Tea Garden Demonstration Base, officially opened. Centered on the history, development, and planning of Wuyishan tea, it also serves multiple functions, including cultural education, interactive experiences, and showcasing achievements, becoming a demonstrative venue for the integration of tea culture, industry, and technology.
Every April and May, main tea-producing areas such as Wuyishan and Fuding host tea opening festivals. The tradition of shouting to the mountains during tea opening dates back to the Tang Dynasty and flourished during the Song Dynasty. It is a unique ceremony passed down by local tea professionals hoping for smooth tea affairs and lush leaves. “This year, we centered our Second Dahongpao Culture Festival around the traditional custom of ‘opening the mountains' in Wuyishan,” explains Jiang Jiadao, brand director of Wuyixing Tea Co., Ltd.
Fujian's major tea-producing areas are also rejuvenating tea culture through creative forms, content, and products, making it more accessible to the public. In Anxi County, the birthplace of world-famous tea Tieguanyin in southeastern Fujian, the Qing Shui Rock Hot Spring Resort project in Penglai Town innovates tea tourism products and forms, deeply integrating Anxi tea culture with wellness hot spring culture to create an experience of living in harmony with nature. The Lishan Tea Fairy Tea Estate in Feixin Village, Hushang Township, has established a modern tea industry system that integrates production, life, ecology, and culture, promoting the integration of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. According to Yao Jiahua, head of the estate, transitioning from selling tea to processing tea products, then to selling culture and scenery, and ultimately driving rural tourism, has gradually become a reality.
Fujian also actively organizes tea enterprises to participate in events such as the Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival, International Tea Day, and the China International Agricultural Products Fair, comprehensively showcasing the charm of Fujian tea culture and telling the stories of Fujian tea. From May 17th to 21st, Fujian organized 58 well-known tea enterprises to participate in the Sixth China International Tea Expo, focusing on promoting regional public brands such as Anxi Tieguanyin, Wuyi rock tea, and Fuding white tea, demonstrating the fruitful outcomes of the integrated development of tea culture, industry, and technology in Fujian. During the exhibition, the Fujian delegation also conducted online promotions of tea products, achieving sales of over 21 million yuan and signing over 860 intent purchase contracts.
Extension of the Industrial Chain Continues
What kind of spark would be ignited when trendy tea shops meet countryside settings with a “down-to-earth” feel? Not long ago, reporters visited the modern tea shop “Encounter Tan Yang” located in Tan Yang Village, Shekou Town, Fuan City, Ningde. Despite not being situated in a bustling city, the shop attracts many visitors who come specifically to visit. “We incorporate Tan Yang gongfu black tea into popular milk teas and tea-based desserts that young people today enjoy. Many tourists from surrounding areas come here to check in,” says Chen Xiangxue, the person in charge of the Encounter Tan Yang tea shop.
Tan Yang gongfu black tea entering the market of modern tea drinks is a microcosm of the innovative development of the Fujian tea industry. In recent years, Fujian has been committed to advancing the agglomeration development of the tea industry and enhancing the influence of Fujian tea, while also pursuing diversified development to transform and upgrade the tea industry. In June, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Fujian Province hosted the first provincial-level modern tea drink production and sales connection activity in Yongtai County, Fuzhou City, and conducted a signing ceremony for new tea drink project cooperation. This is a concrete practice of Fujian's implementation of the integrated development concept of tea culture, industry, and technology, as well as an innovative exploration of the development of the Fujian tea industry. Fujian has unique advantages in the development of modern tea drinks, with abundant and high-quality tea raw material resources, a solid tea industry foundation, and robust momentum.
Vice Minister Chen Daoqing of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Fujian Province introduced that Fujian persists in leading with culture, empowering with technology, leveraging strengths, and shining brands. By deepening industry-university-research cooperation, integrating production, processing, and sales, and fusing tea culture, tourism, and wellness, it fully utilizes the unique advantages of the Fujian tea industry, which include a solid foundation, a wide variety of types, and rich special products, to cultivate a cluster of Chinese modern tea drink enterprises, strengthen and expand the modern tea drink industry, further consolidating the leading position of “Colorful Fujian Tea” nationwide.
As early as 2025, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Fujian Province issued the “Several Opinions on Integrating the Development of Tea Culture, Industry, and Technology to Promote High-Quality Development of the Tea Industry,” aiming to lead with the promotion of tea culture, set goals for strengthening the tea industry, and support it with the improvement of