16-05-2025
Rural homestay boom written in tea leaves
Tucked away amid towering trees in Shuikou village, Xu Dan's homestay attracts an uninterrupted flow of urban residents seeking serenity and tradition.
At the main courtyard of her rural abode in Changxing county of Huzhou city in East China's Zhejiang province, lies a tranquil pool so clear that it resembles a mirror of the sky, with a small wooden boat gently drifting.
Arched stone bridges span the water to link scattered courtyards and winding paths that meander through miniature artificial mountains, each rock carefully placed to echo the harmony of classic Chinese gardens.
Tea artisans in flowing robes perform age-old rituals — steeping, pouring, and presenting the tea with graceful movements.
Guests are welcomed not only with warmth but also a ceremonial tea treat: a trio of flavours, each steeped in meaning.
'The sweet tea, crafted from fragrant osmanthus blossoms and delicate tangerine slices, symbolises an abundant and joyful life. The salty tea is a mix of smoked beans, dried carrots, sesame seeds, orange peel, and crushed tea leaves that honours the toil of harvest and the earth's richness,' Xu says as she warmly welcomes guests in late April.
Finally, the plain tea, simple and pure, lingers with a fresh aftertaste that evokes the essence of true friendship — like plain tea, friendship should be honest and unadorned, needing no embellishment to be deeply appreciated, she explains.
'Guests have shown a strong desire to pay more for the tea experiences we arrange,' Xu says.
Born and raised in the village, the woman in her 30s started blending her homestay with intangible cultural heritage, particularly tea culture, in 2023.
'This idea came about because my uncle is a national-level inheritor of the local tea-making craft and its profound history,' she explains.
Zisun tea originates from Changxing and boasts a history of over 1,200 years. It used to be highly prized and designated as an imperial tribute tea during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Crafted through meticulous traditional techniques, Zisun tea is distinguished by its fine, tender buds, subtle purplish hue, and shape resembling bamboo shoots — hence its name, which means 'purple bamboo shoot' tea.
To integrate tea culture into the guest experience, Xu pays attention to the environment and activities.
'Each of the 16 rooms in two buildings is stocked with Zisun tea and has a designated tea-tasting area,' she says.
'On every floor, there are books about tea and collections of essays from local authors. Guests can enjoy tea while reading, which creates a quiet, immersive experience.'
She also hosts interactive events to deepen visitors' engagement.
'I organise activities like Song Dynasty (960-1279) tea-whisking demonstrations, tea cake-making workshops, and modern tea-blending sessions,' she says.
Currently, it's tea-picking season and guests can participate in harvesting the leaves.
The tea culture theme has noticeably upgraded her business.
The homestay has been a family business since 2014, when her mother opened a farmhouse-style inn. It evolved into a fine agritourism experience when Xu took over in 2018 after quitting her product development job in Hangzhou, the provincial capital.
'I saw huge growth potential and wanted to incorporate my creative ideas into traditional culture,' she says.
Her efforts in cultural enhancement have improved the homestay's overall quality, which has brought guests of diverse backgrounds.
'Previously, most of my visitors were elderly,' she says.
'Now, we're seeing more families and younger seniors. The guests have a greater awareness of culture,' she notes.
Her homestay is among more than 500 in the village, many of which have cashed in on the integration of rural culture and tourism over the years.
'Nearly every household is involved. This makes it the largest rural tourism cluster in northern Zhejiang,' says Zhang Yuhua, the first secretary of the rural homestay industry association in Shuikou. The village attracted over 4.5 million visitors last year, generating about 1.5 billion yuan (£155.37 million) in tourism revenue.
