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Tea master steeps in ancient tradition
On a sunny March afternoon, Fan Shenghua sits in front of a big metal basin in hisworkshop, heating up fresh
West Lake Longjing tea leaves.Fresh tea leaves are handpicked before being heated up to halt oxidation.
Every morning, workers climb up a mountain to pick tea leaves behind Longwu village,one of the most famous
places for growing West Lake Longjing tea.In the afternoon, he heats up the collected leaves, a procedure that
halts oxidation shortlyafter harvest and seals in the botanical magic.
West Lake Longjing tea is one of China's top teas and is grown only in Hangzhou, Zhejiangprovince.Properly
heating the leaves, known as panning, is essential to the quality of the tea, and itwas listed as a
national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2008.