Jian'ou & Zhenghe

Jianzhou, the thousand-year-old prefecture of northern Fujian, where Beiyuan imperial tribute tea and Zhenghe white tea share a common heritage – Confucian and Dongyue temples, Fozi Mountain, the Nianshan terraces and highland tea villages all intertwine.

Jian'ou and Zhenghe lie in Nanping, northern Fujian Province. Jian'ou was the seat of Jianzhou and Jianning Prefecture in the Tang and Song dynasties – the "Jian" in "Fujian" comes from here – and it is a National Famous Historical and Cultural City. Zhenghe County to the northeast is the birthplace of Zhenghe white tea and takes its name from an era name of Emperor Huizong of Song. The two are about 60 km apart, both known for tea culture, historic architecture and mountain villages, and both see few tourists.

Areas to explore: ① Old Jian'ou – the Drum Tower, Zizhi Street in old Jianzhou, the Confucian Temple, Tongxian Gate, Guangxiao Temple and the Dongyue Temple on the east bank of the Jian River, all doable in a day on foot and by taxi; ② the Jian'ou countryside – the Beiyuan imperial tea garden site (Song-dynasty tribute tea) in Dongfeng, hiking Guizongyan in Xudun, the ancient Wanmulin forest in Fangdao, and Zhiqing Bridge in Dikou to the south; ③ Zhenghe town and surroundings – Yungen Academy, the white tea town of Shizhen Village and the Nianshan terraces above the clouds; ④ the mountains of eastern and southern Zhenghe – the Fozi Mountain Scenic Area, Chouling in Tiancun, the highland tea gardens of Jinping Village, and Yingjie Temple in the ancient village of Yangyuan as well as Donggong Mountain.

Seasons: Mar–May is the spring tea season for white tea and Aijiao oolong, and also bamboo shoot season; Oct–Nov brings lovely autumn colours to the old villages; in Jul–Aug, head to highland villages such as Chouling and Jinping to escape the heat; winters are damp, cold and rainy. Getting there: Jian'ou West Station is on the Hefei–Fuzhou high-speed railway, about 1 hour from both Fuzhou and Wuyishan; Zhenghe Station is on the Quzhou–Ningde Railway. Sights are scattered and Zhenghe's mountain roads are winding, so self-driving or hiring a car with driver is recommended. Allow 3 days: 1–1.5 days in Jian'ou and 1.5–2 days in Zhenghe. Food: Jian'ou's guangbing (sesame flatbread), pressed salted duck, soy-milk rice noodles and nadi soup; Zhenghe offers white tea and Dongping highland tea. Note: most historic buildings are free to enter, but tickets and opening hours change often, so check official notices before you go; take care in the mountains during the rainy season.

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