Great Tea Road Retracing: A Journey Along the Ancient Tea Trade Route

WUHAN,China,Feb. 28,2025 -- The documentary seriesGreat Tea Road Retracing is produced by Hubei Daily Net. In the series,American tea enthusiast Hannah Carter takes viewers on an exploration along the Great Tea Road,a historical trade route that once brought Chinese tea to the world.

 

Great Tea Road Retracing：A Journey Along the Ancient Tea Trade Route

Hannah begins her journey in Xiamei Village,the starting point of the Great Tea Road. Strolling through the exquisitely designed courtyards with brick carvings,she explores the tradition and natural way of the tea upheld by the Zou family,who prospered in the tea trade during the Qing Dynasty. Here,she tastes the unique "rock rhyme and floral fragrance" of Wuyi Rock Tea,experiencing the profound cultural heritage it embodies.

For the second stop,Hannah delves into the homeland of Keemun black tea,uncovering the secrets behind "the queen with a golden border," which won a gold medal at the Panama Exposition in 1915. Mr. Xie Yongzhong,a Keemun tea master,explains how the blending technique harmonizes the tea's color,aroma,and flavor,reflecting the Chinese philosophy of "harmony through tea."

In the third episode,Hannah arrives in Chibi,Hubei,to observe the pressing of dark brick tea. This compressed tea,traditionally sold to border regions for herdsmen,is renowned for its distinctive "aged aroma." Dark brick tea embodies a rich history and diverse cultures,opening the path for Chinese tea to the world.

"There would be no Great Tea Road without the Shanxi merchants," as Hannah learned along the Great Tea Road. She visits the Chang Family Mansion in Shanxi,the center of Shanxi merchants' tea trade,for her fourth leg. The Chang family,guided by integrity and Confucian values,created a tea trade empire. Their family school nurtured talents and integrated commerce with culture.

The final chapter takes place in Hohhot,Inner Mongolia,once a "City of Ten Thousand Camels" that transported tea. Today,the "iron camels" of the China-Europe freight trains has taken over,continuing the legacy of the Tea Road.

From tea farmers and craftsmen to merchant guilds,from camel bells to trains,the documentary series Great Tea Road Retracing weaves together the past and future of Chinese tea culture with five key words: "authenticity," "harmony," "inclusion," "integrity," and "revival."

YouTube Link:https://youtu.be/RBs6B10XUC8?si=0AMRWgbUgFlyrItI