West Lake Tradition · Green Tea
Longjing (龙井) Dragon Well Tea
📷 Closely related photo — Photo: Deryckchan / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
The best-grade leaves are still hand-pressed flat in hot woks by tea masters, a technique so precise that machine-made versions sell for a fraction of the price.
Longjing is a delicate, pan-fired green tea grown on the hills around Hangzhou's West Lake, served in glass cups where you can watch the flat leaves unfurl. It's poured at teahouses lining the lake and sold fresh by roadside growers each spring.
Why it's made this way: Its centuries-old ties to West Lake and imperial tribute status make Longjing Zhejiang's most iconic drink.
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