How much of the Longjing Tea from Longjing Village in Hangzhou is Genuine? Locals Say: 'It's Deep'
Foreigners like to drink coffee, while Chinese people prefer to drink tea. In China, there are many varieties of famous teas, especially West Lake Longjing tea, which is one of the 'Ten Famous Teas', is renowned both at home and abroad. Many places mistakenly believe that green tea is Longjing tea. West Lake Longjing is famous throughout China, and in the mountains beside West Lake nourishes ten thousand acres of tea trees, and creates the legendary fame of Longjing tea.
Travelers who have been to Hangzhou know that wherever you are on the West Lake, people will immediately try to sell you so-called Longjing tea. But seemingly cheap, they are basically fake goods, and many foreign tourists fall for it. However, in recent years, foreign tourists have become more discerning, knowing that Hangzhou's West Lake Longjing tea comes from Longjing Village, and they all rush to Longjing Village to sample tea, hike, and buy tea. So, what is exactly Longjing Village, the birthplace of Longjing tea?
Longjing Village is located in the southwest of West Lake scenic area, with hundreds of acres of high mountain tea gardens. Its unique geographical location provides a unique advantage for the growth of Longjing tea. It is said that during the Qing Dynasty's southern tour to Hangzhou, he once tasted Longjing tea in Longjing Village, and after tasting it, he praised it non-stop, and he designated eighteen tea trees as imperial tea. From then on, Longjing Village and Longjing tea's reputation soared.
In recent years, Longjing Village not only grows and sells tea but has also developed rural tourism, with guesthouses, restaurants, and resorts. It has become a 'new favorite' for foreign tourists. Many foreign tourists go to Longjing Village purely for Longjing tea. The Longjing Village that is sold on the street is fake, and the Longjing tea produced in Longjing Village should be genuine, right? However, sometimes things are not as simple as they seem.
Undeniably, the authentic Longjing Village does originate from Longjing Village, but due to the limited planting area, the production of authentic West Lake Longjing is quite limited, and the market often faces a supply shortage. Therefore, some fraudulent West Lake Longjing has emerged, driven by the pursuit of profit. Many foreign tourists flock to buy it. Many local people in Hangzhou say that 'Longjing Village is deep,' meaning there aren't so many authentic West Lake Longjing. The authentic Longjing has already been booked by loyal customers, and even if you go to regular shops, you may not find genuine ones. Some people use tea from places like Chil Island Lake, Pingyang, and Xinxiang to impersonate Longjing tea, selling them for thousands of yuan. Some are slightly inferior or stale tea, sold at hundreds of yuan per jin. Many merchants let tourists sample for free, but those samples may be genuine, but the ones you buy to take home may not be genuine.
Personally, when buying green tea, as long as the tea is produced in its seasonal year, there is no need to be obsessed with the origin; it doesn't matter if it's from a particular place. This is what many merchants capitalize on, leading to the imitation and substitution of inferior products. Many people say that going to Longjing Village without a discerning eye is a cautious purchase. However, tasting Longjing tea in the local area with its beautiful mountains and waters is a wonderful experience. What do you think?
