Dragon Well Tea - Longjing Green Tea

One of the most famous and popular teas in China is growing here in Hangzhou at the West Lake. This green tea is regarded as one of the most delicious teas of them all. The soil and climate, together with the technique for reaping that was evolved for about 1200 years ago, makes this kind of tear very unique. The leaf looks very much like a sparrow’s tongue and when soaked in a teacup, it stands straight right up. The Dragon Tea is fragrant and has a mellow taste. It divided in four marks: Lion, Dragon, Cloud and Tiger – the Lion is regarded as being the best of them.

The name came from a spring-fed well, called Dragon Well that is situated nearby a temple and a teahouse just outside Hangzhou. A legend says that during a severe drought, a monk summoned up a dragon to help him with the rain, and the friendly creature did.

In Hangzhou there’s of course a tea museum, the largest one in China and just outstanding in its kind. Here it’s possible to drink tea and watch tea performances, among other features such as a very ample collection of tea utensils.