Yishan tea drives rural vitalization in Shandong

Farm hands pick tea leaves in a Yishan tea production base in Linqu county. [Photo by Wang Ying for chinadaily.com.cn]

Situated in the Yishan Scenic Area in Linqu county, Weifang city of East China's Shandong province, Beishila village boasts a Yishan tea production base that has inherited and helps develop ancient tea culture.

Yishan tea, a green tea that is sweet and fragrant, is grown on mountains that are 600 to 800 meters above sea level. The favorable natural conditions result in tea leaves with high amino acid content and tea polyphenols.  

Qi Hongjun, a local tea farmer, recalled that he was so taken by the unique flavor of Yishan tea when he first tasted it that he dedicated himself to studying and improving his tea-making skills. He eventually set up a demonstration garden in Beishila village, learned how to make different types of Yishan tea, and started promoting the ancient tea culture.

According to Qi, making Yishan tea involves several steps such as picking, withering, rolling, fermenting, and drying. He has constantly sought to improve the tea-making process through means like slow roasting and the removal of bitterness from the tea leaves, thus making the aroma more pronounced.

In 2020, the Yishan tea-making process was listed as a county-level intangible cultural heritage.

Qi is confident about the future of his business. He said: "We will continue to improve the quality of Yishan tea, help surrounding tea farmers and villagers increase their incomes, and develop more tea culture tourism projects." (Edited by Fan Yuanyuan)