Stories of High-Quality Development | 'Special task force' arrives in the hometown of tea

Narrator: Zheng Yucheng, Science-tech Expert in Nanping City, Lecturer of Wuyi University

Amid birdsong in the deep mountains and swirling mists, the eye meets endless terraced rows of tea bushes. This is my home region, the Wuyi Mountains, renowned for its rock teas and black teas. The enchanting aroma of tea planted a seed of passion in my heart, fueling my determination to pursue a Ph.D. in Tea Science and unravel the mysteries of the leaf. After graduation, I became a lecturer at Wuyi University and joined a team of sci-tech experts, committed to "writing my research papers across the vast landscape."

During my visits to tea plantations and processing facilities, I observed that the tea industry is constrained by a lack of diversity in dominant tea cultivars, as well as outdated production techniques and limited technical expertise. Young sci-tech experts are committed to taking root in the tea plantations, transforming the ancestral practice of "weather-dependent tea making" into big data models, innovating tea processing methods, assisting local farmers in establishing green, eco-friendly tea gardens, and setting up aerial "tea routes" for drones to preserve the freshness of tea leaves with greater efficiency and reduced labor.

From relying on experience to embracing technology, the traditional tea-producing region has ushered in a new wave of tea fragrances. To make tea accessible to more people, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Nanping Branch in Fujian has launched a "financial expert" program, delivering both policy support and financial liquidity directly to the fields. This initiative helps tea farmers and enterprises address their problems and injects new energy into the tea industry.

The thriving tea industry drives development in other sectors. The rapid expansion of tea science and industry has filled farmers' pockets, improved their lives and made tea culture increasingly popular.

Using tea as our medium, we've launched innovative cultural tourism experiences, including traditional hand-picking, tea making and hiking in tea gardens. We've created new tourism experiences and cultivated new business models, transforming tea gardens into scenic destinations. Here, every step brings a new view, and there's something to explore everywhere. Visitors can slow down to embark on an immersive journey through tea culture and experience the Wuyi Mountains' unique charm amid the lingering tea aroma.

Tea leaves have brought vitality to the land. Today, tea culture shows renewed vigor, becoming part of everyday life. New products, such as drip tea and cold-brew tea, are popping up everywhere. The aroma of tea now fills high-speed trains and office buildings. Creative products and theaters have also embraced elements of tea culture. More and more people are discovering the Wuyi Mountains for their renowned tea and visiting the area. The deep integration of tea with cultural tourism makes the Wuyi Mountains' cultural brand shine ever brighter.