Gu Zhi Xin

How long have you been growing tea and what got your started?
I began to work with tea when I was 19 years old after my graduation from high school. At that time my father worked in our factory and he wished I could also work for tea. So I joined the factory where my father worked with tea.

Can you describe a typical day out in the field?
I wake up naturally at 6 every day. After a simple breakfast I will go out to the tea mountain. I climb the mountain to pluck the tea leaves. In the afternoon around 4pm I will send the tea leaves to our factory.

What is your favorite part of growing tea?
I love climbing mountains. I think it is good to do exercise like this to keep healthy. On the other hand, I love the fresh air in the mountain in the morning.

Conversely, what is the hardest part of your job?
The teas are planted in the mountain area. Sometimes the road is very bad after raining. It will be muddy, slippery and wet. So I must be careful.

Are there any tips you can give on how to best brew your tea? Any advice?
Better to use spring or pure water to brew the tea. I think glass teapot or glass cup are good choices for brewing the teas. It will be best to brew 3 infusions.