Artists perform during a tea ceremony on Mt. Mengding when ten top prize winners of CRI knowledge contest on "Charming Sichuan" visit the mountain on May 28, 2009. Mt. Mengding is located in Mingshan County in Sichuan Province. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]
If you are fond of Chinese tea, I would suggest you go for a cup at Mt. Mengding, known to the world over as "the hometown of the holy tea" and "the cradle of the tea culture".
Top ten prize winners of CRI's knowledge contest on "Charming Sichuan" were invited to visit Mt. Mengding, one of the holy tea mountains located in Mingshan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on May 28, 2009.
Getting off the bus, I was immediately hit by the invigorating fragrance of the forest and its misty, humid yet pleasant air. No wonder the tea trees grow well here in the mountains with all the fertile soil, rain and consistent warm temperature which are all ideal for many kinds of plants.
Mt. Mengding boasts a wide variety of rare plants such as the dove, ginko and wild tea trees. Some were planted centuries ago during the Ming Dynasty.
Sitting in the tram, people can enjoy an amazing scenery of mountains covered by dense foliage. This, coupled with the tranquility and harmony of the place is often enough to inspire visitors to break into renditions of old Chinese folk songs.
At the foot of the mountain, we were fortunate to have a break and taste each a cup of green tea that is full of rich fresh flavor while enjoying a wonderful tea ceremony at a tea service area. Andrew Peterson, one of the top prize winners was just impressed.
Pachaiyappa Kannan Sekar from India and his interpreter enjoy tea on the Mengding Mountain on Thursday, May 28, 2009. Mengding Mountain is one of the holiest tea mountains in the world and is located in Mingshan County, Sichuan Province. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]
Top prize winners of CRI's knowledge contest visit Mt. Mengding on May 28, 2009. Mengding Mountain is one of the holiest tea mountains in the world and is located in Mingshan County, Sichuan Province. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]
Andrew Peterson, one of the top prize winners takes photos as artists perform during the tea ceremony on Mt. Mengding on May 28, 2009. Mengding Mountain is one of the holiest tea mountains in the world and is located in Mingshan County, Sichuan Province. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]
Kim Yeon Joon, top prize winner of the CRI knowledge contest from South Korea poses in the Tea Museum at the foot of Mt. Mengding on May 28, 2009. Mengding Mountain is one of the holiest tea mountains in the world and is located in Mingshan County, Sichuan Province. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]
