From April 25 to 27, the 2025 “Fuliang Tea Buying Festival” was held in Fuliang County. Since 2021, the Fuliang Tea Buying Festival has been held for five consecutive years, becoming a benchmark festival for the tea industry in Jiangxi Province. A wide variety of tea-related activities have been organized, and the latest achievements that have attracted industry attention have been unveiled—each vividly demonstrating Fuliang County’s solid implementation of its integrated “Three Teas” strategy and its innovative practices in promoting high-quality development of tea culture, the tea industry, and tea technology.
　　Tea Culture: A Millennial Heritage Unleashing New Vitality
　　The millennium-long tea tradition has witnessed the glory of history. Since ancient times, Fuliang has been renowned worldwide for its porcelain and tea culture, earning the title “the Origin of the World’s Porcelain Capital and the Hometown of China’s Prestigious Teas.” As one of the world’s three major production areas for high-aroma teas, Fuliang boasts a long history of tea cultivation. According to the “Yuanhe County Gazetteer,” in the eighth year of the Yuanhe era of the Tang Dynasty, Fuliang’s tea tax accounted for three-eighths of the nation’s total tea tax, earning it the illustrious reputation of “Fuliang and Shizhou—sought after by all nations.” In his poem “The Pipa Song,” Bai Juyi vividly described the unprecedented prosperity of Fuliang’s tea trade with the line: “Merchants value profit over parting; last month, they went to Fuliang to buy tea.” The Fuliang tea culture system—comprising time-honored Chinese brands represented by Hengdechang and Tianxiang Tea Houses, the linear cultural heritage of the “Tea Road Across Ten Thousand Li,” and the traditional craftsmanship of Gongfu black tea—has been designated as an Important Agricultural Cultural Heritage of China. In 1915, Fuliang Gongfu black tea won the gold medal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, bringing global acclaim to Chinese black tea. This year marks the 110th anniversary of Fuliang tea’s receipt of this prestigious honor.
　　From the “double excellence of tea and porcelain” during the prosperous Tang and Song dynasties to today’s innovative practice of “integrated management of the ‘three teas’,” Fuliang has consistently been writing a vivid chapter in rural revitalization through the dialogue between tradition and modernity. In recent years, Fuliang County has thoroughly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important remarks on “integrated management of the ‘three teas,’” closely following the provincial Party committee and provincial government’s strategic plan to “make Jiangxi tea bigger and stronger” and the “Jiangxi Province Strategic Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Tea Industry.” Guided by the main principles of brand-led development, industrial-driven growth, and integrated development, Fuliang is focusing its efforts on creating a new model of deep integration among “tea, porcelain, and tourism.” As a result, Fuliang’s tea production and output value have steadily risen, and the regional public brand value has surpassed 4 billion yuan.
　　Tea Industry: Full-Chain Upgrading Sparks New Momentum
　　Recently, inside the factory of Jiangxi Tianyi Tea Industry Technology Co., Ltd., workers were systematically loading boxes of tea bags onto trucks, which will then be shipped via Xiamen Port to Malaysia. “The over 14 tons of tea bags exported this time are carefully crafted products by Tianyi Tea Industry,” said Huang Long, the legal representative of Jiangxi Tianyi Tea Industry Technology Co., Ltd. “To ensure the quality of our teas, the company exercises strict control from the very source of tea cultivation and introduces intelligent production equipment into the processing stage. We employ advanced tea-making techniques and rigorously oversee every single step, achieving a perfect integration of traditional tea-making skills with modern technology.” It is reported that the company’s products—including pure tea essences, essential oils, and tea bags—are soon set to enter international markets such as South Korea, Malaysia, Russia, and the Middle East, becoming a key driver behind the growth of Fuliang tea’s foreign trade exports.
　　As a key tea-producing county in Jiangxi Province and the main hub for the tea industry in Jingdezhen City, Fuliang County enjoys inherent developmental advantages. The Fuliang County Party Committee and County Government have fully leveraged their resource strengths, aligned themselves with provincial and municipal strategic plans, and consistently regarded the tea industry as a distinctive local advantage and a pillar industry for strengthening the county and enriching its people. They are promoting the transformation and upgrading of Fuliang’s entire tea industry chain, thereby contributing to rural revitalization.
　　In recent years, Fuliang County has introduced a series of policies to support the development of the tea industry, including financial subsidies and tax incentives. It has also issued documents such as the "Action Plan on Issuing Ten Incentive Measures for Revitalizing the Tea Industry in Fuliang County" and the "Implementation Plan for Promoting Eco-friendly and Low-carbon Management of Tea Gardens Across the Entire County." These policies provide support in areas such as base construction, tea processing, foreign trade exports, talent cultivation, brand promotion, and ecological management. Adopting a development model characterized by "government guidance, enterprise leadership, market orientation, and integration of industry, academia, and research," Fuliang County is further promoting green pest control and eco-friendly, low-carbon management technologies, effectively enhancing the quality of Fuliang tea and establishing its brand image as "ecologically superior tea." The county actively organizes major tea-related events, such as the "Fuliang Tea Buying Festival," showcasing the unique charm of Fuliang's integration of porcelain and tea, as well as the fusion of tea tourism. This helps foster synergy among "brand development, enterprise growth, and increased income for tea farmers." In collaboration with universities and research institutions, Fuliang County has organized vocational skills enhancement training programs for tea industry professionals, significantly expanding the pool of skilled personnel in the local tea sector. Moreover, Fuliang has established demonstration bases for the commercialization of tea-related scientific and technological achievements and set up expert workstations in collaboration with leading experts, providing scientific guidance to support the sustainable development of the tea industry in Fuliang.
　　For seven consecutive years, Fuliang County has been ranked among the “Top 100 Tea-Producing Counties in China,” earning recognition as a National Key Tea-Producing County and a Model County for Tea Brand Development. With the support of Nanchang Customs, the county has successfully established a large-scale export tea base. Fuliang tea has undergone a transformative shift—from a single-sector industry to an integrated development model combining tea, ceramics, and tourism; from traditional cultivation to a modern, high-tech industry. This spring, tea leaf trading markets have fully reopened in eight townships across the county, providing tea farmers and enterprises with an efficient and convenient platform for trade. The county has also launched its first domestically representative intelligent processing line for green tea, continuously enhancing the scale and standardization of Fuliang tea production. Compared to 2020, the county’s total tea output has increased by 35.5%, its comprehensive economic value has risen by 45.1%, and the per capita income of the 62,000 tea farmers involved in the tea industry has grown by 34.2%.
　　Tea Technology: Green Innovation Leads to a New Future
　　In the intelligent tea processing workshop of Fuliang County Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., China’s first smart production line for the initial and refined processing of tea has achieved digital integrated control, requiring only one or two operators to manage it from a CNC console. This production line can process over 400 kilograms of fresh leaves per hour, boosting production efficiency while ensuring consistent tea quality.
　　Liu Zhonghua, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Academic Committee of Hunan Agricultural University, said when promoting the premium Fuliang tea he has passionately developed: “This year, we jointly created Fuliang Hong—a masterpiece of Fuliang tea. It is the fruit of the wisdom and efforts of Fuliang tea artisans and our team. In the future, our team will publish a monograph titled ‘The Chemical Composition and Health Secrets of Fuliang Red Tea,’ scientifically elucidating the charm of Fuliang red tea’s quality and its health benefits.”
　　On April 26, the Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Economic Crops released a new variety of Fuliang tea called “Fuliang Shuye No. 1,” and the China Tea Society issued the group standard “Fuliang Black Tea.” “The release and implementation of the Fuliang Black Tea standard will help refine the product system of Fuliang black tea, promote improvements in industry quality and brand recognition, and provide solid technical support for advancing the high-quality development of the Fuliang tea industry,” said Jiang Renhua, Chairman of the China Tea Society. On the journey toward high-quality development of the Fuliang tea industry, technology-driven innovation is writing a brand-new chapter. Over the years, Fuliang County has attached great importance to the deep integration of industry, talent, and technology, using scientific and technological innovation and talent cultivation to drive the upgrading of the tea industry. By strengthening cooperation with the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the China Tea Circulation Association, Fuliang has consistently focused on tackling key scientific and technological challenges that address major national needs and providing science-and-technology services directly at the production frontlines. The county has carried out the construction of organic tea bases, promoted the application of new green pest-control technologies, developed intelligent tea-processing production lines, and achieved the practical application of numerous research findings. These efforts have facilitated the green, digital, and standardized development of the tea industry, giving rise to a large number of skilled tea garden managers, tea-processing technicians, tea artists, and tea-tasting experts. “To ensure both the yield and quality of Fuliang tea, all 16 townships and 163 villages in the county have now achieved superior seed propagation, standardized cultivation, and precise processing. Moving forward, while intensifying tea production and R&D efforts around the core Fuliang tea brand, we will also vigorously expand marketing channels, helping Fuliang tea ‘go global’ and continuously enhance its brand reputation and visibility,” said Cheng Long, head of Fuliang Tea Development (Group) Co., Ltd.
　　Porcelain Tea Tourism: Cross-Border Integration Unveils a New Canvas
　　“Breathing in the aroma of tea here, I truly feel like I can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and slow down my pace of life,” exclaimed a tourist at Tali Tea Stay Village. Nestled deep in the dense forests of Jiangcun Township, Fuliang County, Tali Tea Stay Village is a tea-themed tourism destination that integrates boutique homestays, specialty dining, and cultural study tours—a true haven often referred to as a “paradise on earth.” Here, you can hike along ancient tea trails to discover century-old tea trees, or enjoy thrilling activities such as drifting through tea valleys, fishing by the streams, visiting rural bars, and joining lively bonfire parties.
　　In Dongbu Village, Yaoli Town, Fuliang County—a place of picturesque beauty—more than 300 tourists are taking part in an event titled “Porcelain and Tea: A Leisurely Walk Through the Millennial Tea Ceremony.” Following a “porcelain-tea caravan” carrying tea banners and shoulder-mounted cargo containers, the tourists embark on a 7.5-kilometer hike, setting off on a journey to explore the ancient trade in ceramics and tea and immersing themselves in Fuliang’s time-honored porcelain-tea culture.
　　Next to the Sanxian Lake Provincial Wetland Park, the newly opened Fuliang-Lao She Teahouse has attracted many tea-loving residents. Groups of three or five friends gather around, holding ceramic gaiwans as they savor tea and chat animatedly. On stage, one captivating Ganzhou opera performance after another takes center stage.
　　In recent years, Fuliang County has leveraged tea as a bridge, building on its cultural and tourism image—"Porcelain Origin, Tea Country, Ecological Fuliang"—to actively establish platforms for cultural exchange. As a result, various tea-themed cultural festivals and events have been thriving in Fuliang County. Every year, during events such as the Fuliang Tea Buying Festival, the Tianxiang Tea House Opening Ceremony, the Fuliang Tea-Themed Photography Festival, the Spring Tea Launch Event, and numerous tea-tasting competitions and selections for the Most Beautiful Tea Artisan, Fuliang becomes bustling with crowds of visitors. The development of the "Porcelain-Tea Fusion Journey" tourism route—creating an immersive new tea-tourism experience that integrates sightseeing, study tours, hands-on experiences, and shopping—has increasingly attracted young people and outsiders to come to Fuliang, get to know it, and fall in love with Fuliang’s tea. At the Tang Dynasty Tea Market in Gaoling·China Village, you can witness the spectacular scene of “nations from all over the world coming to seek tea”; at the annual "Fuliang Tea Buying Festival," you can relive the vibrant atmosphere when tea taxes once accounted for three-eighths of the nation’s total revenue; and at the tea ceremony study tours—"Decoding Porcelain, Conversing with Tea"—you’ll discover the timeless beauty of this ancient art. Fuliang’s tea tourism is not merely a pilgrimage for the palate—it’s also a spiritual homecoming, a chance to breathe in sync with China’s rich tea civilization.
　　The integrated development of tea and tourism has broadened cultural exchanges around tea and greatly boosted the growth of the tourism industry. According to statistics, since last year, the county has welcomed over 10 million tourist visits, generating comprehensive tourism revenues exceeding 10 billion yuan. Today, the tea gardens here are not only “golden mountains and silver hills” but also a “cultural oasis” that carries forward millennia of civilization. Fuliang County will continue to use tea as the medium, porcelain as the vessel, and tourism as the platform, adhering to the principles of industrial synergy, cultural leadership, ecological priority, and open integration, and strive to create a new chapter of high-quality, integrated development in the “tea-porcelain-tourism” sector.