Tea cultural park offers visitors a taste of Chinese tradition

Hangzhou is constructing a 387-hectare Jingshan Tea Culture Park in Yuhang District. Now, the first phase of Mengshanjing has rolled out the welcome mat to visitors since August 1.

Located at the heart of the Jingshan scenic area and Pingyao Town, Mengshanjing draws inspiration from the Song Dynasty architecture and gardens, incorporating tea cultural heritage and Oriental Zen aesthetics in its design.

Designers have curated an authentic Jingshan tea cultural experience consisting of five sections, namely chayi (茶仪 tea ceremony), chaxiang (茶飨 tea food), chayin (茶饮 tea beverages), chaju (茶居 tea hotel) and chayun (茶韵 tea vibe).

The highlight must be the Jingshan tea ceremony. Throughout dynasties, tea ceremonies have had a deep influence on Chinese tradition. Monk Faqin initiated the ceremony in Jingshan Temple during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907) to worship Buddha and treat devout believers.

The Jingshan tea ceremony peaked during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279), when Hangzhou was the capital. In 2011, the ritual was listed as a National Intangible Culture Heritage. Two years ago, UNESCO added China's traditional tea-making to its list of intangible cultural heritage, featuring the Jingshan tea ceremony as one of its items.

The ceremony mainly involves the ritualized preparation and consumption of powdered tea, featuring specific performances, procedures and criteria for selecting tea leaves and vessels.

In addition to brewing tea, the ceremony also encompasses drumming to welcome guests, burning incense to worship Buddha and meditation. Every procedure integrates tea, etiquette rules, tea-making skills and Zen practices.

Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang Dynasty. Native Taoism influenced its development as a distinguished school of Chinese Buddhism, emphasizing rigorous meditation practice, deep understanding of Buddha's nature, and personal expression of this insight in daily life, especially for the betterment of others.

In the Song Dynasty, Zen dominated Chinese Buddhism. The bureaucratic system entered into Zen temples throughout the country, and a highly organized system of temple rank and administration developed. The royal court ranked Jingshan Temple at the top of the "Wushan Shicha" (五山十刹 five mountains and ten temples) religious system.

In addition to the immersive experience, Mengshanjing has a restaurant that serves Song Dynasty cuisine, allowing you to rejuvenate your mind and soul in the lush greenery and nature. Guests could sip tea beverages inspired by Lu Yu, who was respected as China's "Sage of Tea" and wrote "The Classic of Tea," the first definitive work on cultivating, making and drinking tea.

For years, Yuhang District has created products and projects themed on Jingshan tea and Lu Yu to spread the traditional tea culture and attract more young people. The tea series, made of authentic Jingshan tea and herbs and named after Lu Yu, is available at the park.

Mengshanjing also features 17 guest rooms decorated in the Song Dynasty style. Designers drew inspiration from the ancient book "Pictorial of Tea Ware (茶具图赞)," the earliest picture book on tea wares used in the preparation of Song Dynasty diancha – making finely ground powder from processed green tea.

Tea was a staple drink during the Song Dynasty, with imperial officials, residents and royal families quaffing it daily. Different from the modern drinking style, the Song people initiated a new way of drinking tea called diancha. The book recorded 12 common tools and vessels used in diancha, which provides modern-day people with vivid archives to recreate the authentic Song Dynasty tea-drinking process.

Hanfu and live action role-playing are all the rage among young people. To cash in on the revival trend of Song Dynasty culture, Mengshanjing has established a space for hanfu aficionados. Visitors could act out roles according to different scripts and scenarios that define their characters.

If you go

Please call 0571-88503399 to make a reservation in advance.

Address: 1 Chachang Rd, Pingyao Town, Yuhang District

余杭区瓶窑镇茶场路1号