Chengdu Off-the-Beaten-Path Tea Experience: Pick, Process, and Sip Your Own Tea at a Local Tea Farm
Want more than just drinking tea? Experience tea picking and tea making at a local tea farm near Mount Mengding, Chengdu. For around 150 CNY, you can join a full-day tea tour, learn how to pick fresh leaves, hand-fry them, and finally drink the tea you made yourself. This hands-on experience is perfect for travelers who love slow, meaningful activities and immersive cultural experiences.
1. Tea Picking: Wear a Straw Hat, Use a Bamboo Basket, Learn “Two-Finger Picking”
The tea farm provides straw hats and bamboo baskets, so you don’t need to bring anything. Follow the tea farmers into the Mount Mengding tea terraces — lush green hills with fresh mountain air. Morning visits around 9:00 AM are cool and comfortable.
The farmer will teach the “two-finger picking” technique: pinch the bud with your thumb and forefinger (one bud and one or two leaves), gently lift it without using your nails to avoid damaging the leaf. Beginners take it slow, and it usually takes 1.5 hours to fill a bamboo basket (~50 grams).
Don’t forget to take photos in the tea garden — the straw hat and basket make for authentic, natural “farmer-style” shots, more charming than typical tourist photo spots.
2. Tea Processing: Hand-Fry on an Iron Pan, Master the “Heat Control”
After picking, head back to the tea house to hand-fry your tea using a large iron pan over a wood fire. The temperature is carefully controlled around 120°C. The farmer monitors the heat, so don’t touch the pan yourself.
The frying process has three steps:
Sha Qing (Kill-Green): Quickly stir-fry the fresh leaves for about 5 minutes to remove moisture and release aroma. Wear gloves to avoid burns.
Rubbing: Place the fried leaves on a bamboo tray and roll them by hand into thin strips for 10 minutes, enhancing flavor and fragrance.
Drying: Spread the rolled leaves on a bamboo sieve and dry over a low wood fire for 20 minutes until crispy.
Follow the farmer’s rhythm — it may feel tiring, but seeing your finished tea leaves brings great satisfaction.
3. Tea Tasting: Drink Your Own Tea, Learn the History of Mengding Tea
Once cooled, the farmer will brew your tea using a traditional “gaiwan” (covered bowl). Your freshly made Mengding Sweet Dew will have a light green color and delicate orchid fragrance — far fresher than store-bought tea.
While sipping, the farmer will share the history of Mengding Tea: “Mount Mengding is where the legendary tea ancestor Wu Lizhen first planted tea. During the Tang Dynasty, it was tribute tea, only the emperor could enjoy it.”
Enjoy complimentary local tea snacks like peanuts and sunflower seeds while sitting in the courtyard. Listening to the farmer’s stories while drinking tea is a peaceful and immersive experience.
At the end of the tour, you can take home your own tea (~25 grams in a small jar) — a special souvenir to brew for family and friends.
Recommended Location: Tea farms near Tian Gai Temple on Mount Mengding. Close to the scenic area, authentic experience, book at least one day in advance.
Plan your Chengdu tea adventure with our professional Chengdu travel agency, and explore Mount Mengding tea tours, tea picking experiences near Chengdu, and hands-on Chinese tea culture — perfect for travelers seeking authentic and immersive Sichuan experiences.
