A visitor from Ukraine stir-fries tea in Liubao town, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region [Photo provided to China Daily]
Kosima Weber Liu, from Germany, visited the town in October and was impressed by the tea there, especially its therapeutic effects.
"I had only heard of the tea-making processes before, but I got to experience what it was like to roast tea myself," Liu says.
She has a better understanding of the process and the ritual surrounding it.
"I felt I've been to a special, mystical place in China."
Liubao town has been known for its dark tea that, for 1,500 years, has been a brew to savor. It has ideal conditions for tea production, with an equilibrium of humidity, sunshine, soil and an elevation, about 600 meters above sea level, that is almost too good to be true.
Liubao tea is considered one of the best in the country and was served in tribute to Emperor Jiaqing during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
It was also used as a herbal medicine to counter hot and humid conditions when Chinese people emigrated to Southeast Asia in the late 19th century.