Chen Wei & Zhong Yizheng of Hangzhou Daily

Picking Spring Tea on the Eighth Day of the first month of lunar year is an extraordinary thing even people in advanced aged never encountered in their life before. According to tea farmers, it is very likely that people will not have chance to drink Longjing Tea that be picked after Qingming (Pure Brightness) Festival this year.

Du Shuzhu, one of the tea farmers, was busy picking tea in his own tea field in Di village of Longwu when reporter arrived yesterday at noon time. He told reporter: “ There was no real cold weather in second half of last year. Before lunar New Year, we estimated that we might begin picking tea after lantern festival (15th day of first lunar month). However, it turned out be fine and warm in daytime and rainy in evening in the first days of the first month of lunar year, which accelerated pullulation of spring tea. You see, thought it’s only the eighth day of the first month in lunar calendar, the young leaves coming up are strong enough for us to pick.