Zhou Jianchun, the Journalist, Chen Quanlin and Xiao Jie, the Special Correspondents, and Ming Yang, the Correspondent.

In March, visitors strolling across various parts of Baokang County in Xiangyang, Hubei Province, are greeted by 200,000 mu of undulating, verdant ecological tea gardens. A single green leaf—symbolizing the integrated value chain spanning cultivation, processing, and cultural tourism—binds these sectors together. The subtle yet evocative aroma of tea paves a robust pathway for mountain-dwelling residents to increase their incomes, achieve prosperity, and advance the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas. Today, the local tea industry is flourishing: it enriches communities through tea, transforms ecological assets into developmental advantages, and elevates this once-modest agricultural product into a pillar industry underpinning rural revitalization.

Recently, the tea gardens in Luoshigou Village, Chengguan Town of Baokang County, have flourished with vibrant greenery, and the surrounding mountains abound with bountiful harvests. As the core production base for Xiangyang high-aroma tea, this area benefits from distinctive cloud-and-fog microclimates and employs scientific, standardized ecological management practices—both of which consistently enhance tea quality. Serving as a county-level demonstration site for the renovation of aging tea plantations, this garden not only advances the local tea industry but also fosters rural prosperity through sustainable green development, transforming tea cultivation into a key driver of villagers’ income growth and a vital catalyst for the holistic revitalization of rural areas.

“We adhere to ecological priorities and green cultivation. Our tea gardens are cultivated using fully organic practices throughout the entire production cycle—no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides are used; only certified organic fertilizers are applied. Good ecology produces good tea. Our tea enjoys superior quality and good market prices, which truly helps increase the incomes of tea farmers,” said Lv Xiankui, head of the tea garden.

At the intelligent tea-processing workshop of Baokang Tea Industry Group Co., Ltd., automated production lines are operating at full speed. Intelligent control systems fully manage key stages of tea processing, while a blockchain-based traceability system assigns each batch a unique “digital ID,” enabling full traceability from the tea garden to the teacup. From traditional hand-roasting to modern intelligent production, Baokang County’s tea industry has achieved a crucial leap in quality and efficiency.

“By introducing intelligent processing equipment, we have realized standardized and large-scale production. This not only improves efficiency and reduces costs but also ensures more stable product quality. At present, the company’s annual processing capacity has reached 2,000 tons, helping nearby tea farmers secure stable income growth,” said a head of Baokang Tea Industry Group Co., Ltd.

In Gelanping Village of Dianya Town, tea gardens have been transformed into scenic attractions and tea-covered mountains into picturesque landscapes. Visitors can immerse themselves in tea-picking experiences, while local homestays and Agritainment enjoy booming business. The village has carefully designed themed routes featuring “tea tourism and study tours + farming experiences,” turning tea-growing areas into tourist destinations and tea products into specialty gifts, thereby expanding the value of the tea industry in multiple ways.

“The village has 4,800 mu of standardized tea gardens, which help increase income for about 80 percent of local households,” said Xu Yuancun, Party Secretary of Gelanping Village. “By developing integrated tea and tourism industries, we now receive more than 15,000 visitors annually. We sell not only tea, but also the scenery, giving villagers broader income channels.”

In recent years, Baokang County has made the tea industry a pillar of its rural revitalization strategy, vigorously promoting large-scale, standardized, and branded development. The county has established 100,000 mu of provincial-level high-quality tea production bases across five villages and towns. Thirty tea production bases within the county have obtained green or organic certification, while four tea enterprises have export qualifications, with products reaching overseas markets. The influence of Baokang County’s tea brands and their market competitiveness continue to grow.

“We are using the development of high-quality specialty tea bases within the province as a key driver, focusing on the high-quality development of the tea industry. By promoting quality-driven, green, and brand-oriented tea development, we are advancing the upgrading of the entire industry chain,” said Ai Guoxu, Member of the Party leadership group and Deputy Director of the Baokang County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau. In 2025, the county’s total tea industry output value exceeded 2 billion yuan, providing local employment for more than 50,000 residents.

Policy support has injected strong momentum into industrial upgrading. Each year, Baokang County integrates special funds to support tea garden renovation, equipment upgrades, and brand cultivation. The county is actively transforming low-yield tea gardens, building new organic tea plantations, and promoting improved tea varieties. At the same time, it is constructing industrial roads, improving irrigation facilities, and developing cold-chain logistics systems, while achieving full 5G coverage in major production areas—effectively opening the crucial pathway for “fine tea to reach markets beyond the deep mountains.”

Today, Baokang County’s tea industry has transformed from a single focus on cultivation to an integrated development of the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors. Tea culture, tea industry, and tea technology are advancing in coordination. The county has been awarded titles such as “National Key Tea-Producing County” and “One of China’s Ten Most Beautiful Tea Regions.”

“We are committed to prioritizing ecology and pursuing green development as the fundamental path, striving to transform ecological advantages into development momentum. This year, the county’s tea plantation area will reach 200,000 mu, with dried tea output of 9,300 tons and an output value of 1.1 billion yuan. We will establish a standardized matcha demonstration base spanning 3,000 mu, thereby catalyzing the development of additional matcha cultivation bases totaling over 5,000 mu. Meanwhile, 4,500 mu of new tea gardens have been consolidated or newly established, and renovation of three old tea garden demonstration sites has been completed in Luoshigou Village of Chengguan Town, as well as Huangbao Village and Huanglonggou Village of Huangbao Town,” said Ai Guoxu.

Small tea leaves embody the aspirations for improved livelihoods; green industries invigorate rural vitality. A single verdant leaf and its delicate fragrance enhance the ecological beauty of Baokang County’s countryside and contribute to greater prosperity for its people.