[China Thrills] Green Gold: Harvesting Pujiang’s Pre-Ming Tea

Spring greets the land with the scent of tea. Across China, the early spring tea harvest is underway, including in Pujiang County in southwest China, the renowned home of the celebrated green tea Pujiang Queshe.

“Pre-Ming tea is as precious as gold.” Harvested just before Qingming Festival, these tender leaves have absorbed an entire winter’s nourishment—plump, flavorful, and prized as the finest of the year. In the soft morning light, tea farmers work with swift, practiced hands, plucking each delicate bud and leaf into bamboo baskets, soon to be rushed to the nearby tea factory.

The factory manager says freshness is everything. From bush to package, Pujiang Queshe undergoes a streamlined process that locks in its signature aroma and flavor in record time—the secret to its exceptional taste.

This year, visitors can witness the journey firsthand. The region has woven tea culture into tourism, opening the gardens to the public. Visitors are welcomed to strap on a bamboo basket, pick leaves alongside the farmers, and trace every step of tea-making up close. It’s a fresh way to welcome spring—wandering through rolling green hills, breathing in the fragrance of tea, and soaking in both the season’s comfort and the joy of harvest.