Baishaxi Tea Factory
白沙溪茶厂
One of Hunan's earliest state-run dark tea factories, and a unit for the national intangible cultural heritage of thousand-tael tea. Visitors can see the old factory buildings and the process of pressing thousand-tael tea.
The Baishaxi Tea Factory lies on the bank of the Zi River in Xiaoyan Town, Anhua County. Its predecessor was the Hunan Provincial Brick Tea Factory, founded in 1939. It was one of China's earliest enterprises to mass-produce black brick tea, and it is the protection unit for the national intangible cultural heritage project “Thousand-Tael Tea Making Technique.” The factory grounds retain old workshops, a history exhibition hall and tea production workshops. An industrial tourism route lets you see thousand-tael tea being pressed, bound and left to age, as well as the “flowering” process used for fu brick tea. You can also taste and buy tea at the shop. Visits are generally free, but groups must book in advance. Tea-pressing demonstrations are held irregularly, so contact the factory ahead of time. It is about a 40-minute drive from the county seat and can be combined with Tangjiaguan and the Hometown of Tao Shu on the same route. The coordinates are estimated.
Opening hours
About 08:30–17:30 (reservations required)