Reading the leaves leads to success

Now, apart from growing and processing tea and refining his technique, Zheng also teaches students about tea at schools, and teaches his apprentices his skills.

"My sons and nephew are learning to make tea from me. I have to closely observe those who wish to become my apprentices for a long time, to assess their talent and character. Processing takes perseverance, so one must have determination and a passion for tea," he says.

Among his 11 apprentices, 22-year-old Liang Xinye is both the newest and the youngest. Still pursuing a law degree at the Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, she was officially apprenticed this March.

"When I was young, I wasn't interested in learning the piano or dancing. Then a guest gave my family a tea set, and I played with it every day. No one in my family knew much about tea, so my mother found a tea sommelier to teach me," Liang says.