Tea Tourism and Cultural Tour Route of Gyokuro

　 　Route: Juliushan Farm — Xihe Garden — Yulu Handcraft Experience Center — Lingyun Tower — Juliuting Pavilion — Longgan Lake Tea Academy (Zhanyu Pavilion) — Model Worker Grove — Qiu Yu Platform — Wanghu Pavilion — Wolong Bridge

　　 Jilongshan Farm: Julong Mountain Estate is located in the heart of the Wuling Mountains and boasts nearly 3,000 mu of organic tea plantations, 560 of which have received national certification. The landscape here features rolling hills, along which the ancient Shi Yi Trail winds gracefully, resembling a giant dragon. Within the estate lies the original tea tree variety known as "Yu Lu Mother Plant"—the very source of Enshi Yu Lu tea. These tea trees have an average age of 60 years and have been under organic management for 25 years. Julong Mountain Estate also preserves the traditional craft of "handmade Yu Lu tea production" and is committed to developing standardized, intelligent practices. At the same time, the estate serves as a prime example of agricultural landscape integration; scattered throughout the tea gardens are traditional architectural structures that make it easy for visitors to explore and enjoy the slow-paced lifestyle of tea picking, tea processing, and tea tasting. Julong Mountain Estate is like a lush green carpet, paving the way for villagers to embark on a happy journey toward rural revitalization.

　　 Xihe Garden: Xihé Garden is a modern agricultural and tourism enterprise park that integrates tea cultivation, production, processing, sales, and tea-themed homestays. Located in Jilongshan Farm, the park blends Tujia stilt-house architecture with Suzhou garden design, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a traditional Suzhou-style garden. Within the park, you’ll find a tea-processing workshop, a handmade Yulu tea experience center, a cultural exhibition hall, a tea product display room, a tea lounge, and guesthouses. Xihé Garden boasts three state-of-the-art production lines for Enshi Yulu tea, Lichuan Red tea, and selenium-enriched tea, all equipped with advanced machinery. Since its completion, the park has become immensely popular among tea enthusiasts and tourists alike, serving as an ideal destination to learn about the culture of Enshi Yulu tea, experience the life of tea artisans, master the art of Yulu tea production, and savor exquisite tea flavors.

　 　Jade Dew Handcraft Experience Center: Jade Dew moistens Enshi; the fragrance of tea intoxicates the springtime. At Julongshan Changxihe Garden Enshi Yulu Handcraft Experience Center, visitors can explore the “Enshi Yulu Tea-Making Technique,” a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Tourists and students can learn nine traditional techniques—including spreading green leaves, steaming green leaves, pan-frying tea, kneading, and shaping—and even participate in activities like Tang Dynasty-style boiling tea and Song Dynasty-style whisked tea. Through tea ceremonies and tea snacks, they’ll gain a deeper understanding of tea culture. Just now, the tea master has served up some freshly brewed tea—please join us for a taste!

　　 Lingyun Tower: Farmers forge ahead, writing the chronicles of rural life. Ten years ago, this place was a poverty-stricken village—but under the guidance of the Party and the government, villagers began to see hope. Village officials took the lead, and young people returning home brought in capital and technology. Together, everyone worked with one heart, strengthening their sense of ownership and striving collectively. At the summit of Julong Mountain, Lingyun Tower was built, offering a breathtaking view overlooking the picturesque waters and mountains of Longgan Lake. The people of Longgan believe that the "ambition to reach the clouds" is the very source of their motivation. Today, Longgan Lake has earned prestigious titles such as National Key Village for Rural Tourism and National Forest Village, and is widely praised as a model village renowned for its beauty and livability.

　 　Jilong Pavilion: The Julong Pavilion is located in the Enshi Tea Garden, representing the very essence of the mountainous landscape and serving as one of the garden’s most iconic landmarks. This three-story viewing pavilion is built in the Jiangnan-style Suzhou architectural tradition. Five circular stone pillars support stone beams adorned with exquisitely carved hanging ornaments. Ascending the hundred-step staircase, you’ll find yourself overlooking an expansive tea plantation nestled amid rolling hills and valleys, its lush greenery resembling a picturesque painting brimming with vitality. Here, as you brew and savor tea, the lingering aroma and delicate flavors will fill your heart with serenity and delight.

　　 Long Gan Hu Tea Academy (Zhan Yu Ge): Zhan Yu Pavilion is situated beside a tea garden, offering a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape. The academy, built in the northern part of Julongshan Tea Garden, comprises Zhan Yu Pavilion and a scenic corridor pavilion, serving multiple functions including teaching, book collection, sightseeing, and tea tasting. The main building, named “Zhan Yu,” symbolizes soaring wings and boundless aspirations. Modeled after the architectural style of the Song Dynasty, Longgan Lake Tea Academy seamlessly blends Confucian culture with nature, integrating cultural dissemination and tourism experiences into one. It hosts a variety of activities such as cultural tea tours and elegant pursuits of the Four Arts. As a hub for research, creation, and promotion of Julongshan’s Yulu cultural heritage, the academy embodies tea enthusiasts’ humanistic ideals and carries the responsibility of revitalizing tea culture. The academy serves as a vital link connecting the historical, contemporary, and future cultural threads of the Tujia mountain village.

　　 Model Worker Lin: On Tree-Planting Day in 2021, the trade unions of Enshi Prefecture and its cities, together with villagers from Longganhu Village, planted a hundred trees at Julongshan Field, creating the “Model Worker Forest.” In March 2022, another 80 red maple trees were planted. Today, the “Model Worker Forest” has become a scenic highlight of Julongshan Field. Enshi is home to hundreds of model workers at various levels. The Model Worker Forest symbolizes the spirit of workers, and Longganhu’s establishment of this forest carries great significance in passing on that spirit.

　 　Rain-Seeking Platform: We’re now in the eastern tea garden of Juliushan Farm. The terrain slopes gently from north to south, with a flat summit that forms a terrace. Legend has it that when dragons drove away the lakes and drought struck, tea farmers here performed lantern dramas to pray for rain. Moved by their devotion, the dragon’s son, Qiu Niu, released rain to save the tea plants—hence the place came to be known as “Qiu Yu Terrace.” Today, a tea garden viewing platform has been built at the highest point, transforming this folkloric tale into a visually stunning landscape. Bountiful agricultural harvests depend on favorable weather—smooth winds and timely rains—and farmers’ longing for rainfall is deeply felt. The origin of the name “Qiu Yu Terrace” underscores the direct impact of the natural ecosystem on human life, serving as a poignant reminder that economic development must be pursued in harmony with nature.

　　 Wanghu Pavilion: The clear waters mirror the vast sky; standing by the lake, I feel the gentle evening breeze. Distant mountains seem to embrace three islands, and my heart, calm and serene, seems to merge with the heavens themselves. Following the Shi Yi Ancient Trail’s walking path down from Jilong Mountain Field, take a brief rest at Wanghu Pavilion, then cross the Wolong Bridge—said to bring good fortune—and you’ll soon arrive at the shores of Longgan Lake. This Wanghu Pavilion, built at the western end of Jilong Mountain Field, offers the best vantage point for gazing southward over Longgan Lake, and serves as a perfect resting spot along the Shi Yi Ancient Trail route. Legend has it that Longzi Qiu Niu once paused here, deeply moved by the sight of withering tea trees, dwindling lake waters, and the sorrow of local tea farmers—and so he sent down sweet dew to comfort them. Hurry on over! Stand right where the divine dragon once stood, and share a photo on WeChat Moments. Posting on Moments is easy—getting rich will be even easier!

　　 Wolong Bridge: Wolong Bridge, located along the Shiyi Ancient Trail, is a scenic skybridge that connects Juliushan Farm with Longgan Lake. Handcrafted by local villagers, this bridge boasts a unique design and high biomimetic requirements. Tea farmers jokingly call it the giant dragon coiling around the tea hills; it becomes especially spectacular when mountain mists rise, hence its name. The bridge is adorned with the character “Fu,” and legend has it that touching it brings good luck. A poem praises it thus: “Crossing Wolong Bridge, a divine dragon offers auspicious blessings. As the wandering dragon glides by the lakeside, fish leap up into the azure clouds.”