Tea is considered to be one of the most important contributions that China makes to the world. China is the origin place of tea trees and it is also the first nation who discovered and took advantage of the tea. Tea industry and tea culture begin with the drinking of tea. For thousands of years, tea culture is enriched and developed with the tea custom gradually embedding in Chinese people’s life, becoming a precious treasure in traditional oriental culture. China has a long history and a vast area of tea production. In a long time practice, Chinese people accumulate rich tea production experience. After thousands of years development, many kinds of famous tea could be found in China.

China National Tea Museum is a national-rank museum specialized in tea culture. The museum is located in the Shuangfeng Country southwest of West Lake in Hangzhou, China. There are mainly six related individual parts to explain tea history and culture, including Hall of Tea History, Tea Kaleidoscope Hall, Hall of Tea Properties, Tea Sets Hall, Tea-friendship Hall, and Tea Customs Hall. The developing history of Chinese tea production and tea culture is introduced in Hall of Tea History; In Tea Kaleidoscope Hall, the samples of many famous teas from home and abroad are displayed; Tea Sets Hall is a great concentration of all kinds of tea sets in China’s different periods; In Hall of Tea Properties, visitors could learn the scientific knowledge of how to grow tea, produce tea and taste tea; Tea Customs Hall explains the tea customs of different regions and different periods.

In China National Tea Museum, visitor could not only explore tea history and tea culture, but also enjoy this beautiful scenery of the museum itself. The most special part of the design of the museum is there is no enclosure which removes the solemn atmosphere in other museums and makes this place full of leisure everywhere. Plants are used to separate the regions, creating an image of “halls in tea, and tea in halls”. Besides the main buildings, flower corridors, zigzag path, artificial rocks, pools and waterside pavilions decorate the whole museum, jointly forming pastoral scenery of unique Southern gardens flavor.

For more information about China travel guide, www.ChinaTourOnline.com and www.ChinaTours.com would be useful and helpful.