Cloud tea is like life; life is learning, wisdom is cultivation.
Starting today, I will discuss another legendary brand in the Pu-erh tea world—Longyuanhao. The founder of Longyuanhao, Mr. Li Zhengxing, is a professionally trained tea maker. He graduated from the Tea Science major at Yunnan Agricultural University in 1978 and has been engaged in the tea industry ever since. In the Pu-erh tea circle, entrepreneurs with such professional backgrounds are rare, which is also one of the key reasons why Longyuanhao can maintain high quality. When I communicate with Mr. Li Zhengxing, I am often impressed by his profound professional knowledge.
I have known Mr. Li Zhengxing for many years. He is a very pragmatic person who does not like to use overly flowery language, but he is meticulous in everything he does. He often says, “Tea is science, not metaphysics.” This sentence perfectly summarizes his tea-making philosophy—using scientific methods to study and produce tea, rather than relying on intuition or empiricism. In his office, there are entire walls of tea science books and research materials, which demonstrates the importance he places on professional knowledge.
Li Zhengxing’s professional background has had a profound impact on his tea-making business. During his studies at Yunnan Agricultural University, he systematically learned professional knowledge such as tea tree cultivation, tea processing, and tea tasting. This knowledge later became the important foundation of his entrepreneurship. He is able to use scientific methods to analyze the quality characteristics of tea and use professional knowledge to guide the tea-making process; this scientific attitude has also become the core competitiveness of Longyuanhao. He frequently leads his team in conducting tea quality testing and analysis, using data to guide production decisions.
Li Zhengxing’s contributions to tea education are also worth mentioning. Although he left the campus decades ago, he has always paid attention to the development of tea education. He is frequently invited to give lectures at universities to share his practical experience and industry insights. Through his efforts, he hopes to cultivate more excellent tea professionals and contribute to the development of China’s tea industry.
Tea has its varying grades, yet all people, regardless of status, may enjoy it.
Li Zhengxing’s professional career is actually quite rich. After graduation, he first worked in state-owned tea enterprises, accumulating extensive practical experience. Later, he decided to start his own business and founded Longyuan Tea Industry. In 2004, the Longyuan Tea Industry National Marketing Center was officially established in Kunming, marking Longyuanhao’s transition from a local brand toward the national market. At that time, competition in the tea market was already very intense, but relying on his professional advantages and persistence in quality, Li Zhengxing gradually established a firm foothold in the market.
Speaking of Li Zhengxing’s personal approach to wellness, he is also a practitioner of Pu-erh tea wellness. As someone with a background in tea science, he has a deep understanding of the health benefits of Pu-erh tea. He insists on drinking Pu-erh tea every day, but adjusts the type and strength of tea according to the season and his physical condition. He says, “Pu-erh tea is the most suitable for the Chinese constitution, but drinking tea must be scientific; one cannot drink blindly.” This attitude toward scientific tea drinking is something we should all learn from. He suggests choosing the appropriate type of tea based on one’s constitution—those with a heat constitution are suitable for raw Pu-erh, while those with a cold constitution are suitable for ripe Pu-erh. Choosing the right Pu-erh tea every day according to your physical state, combined with a reasonable diet and exercise, is the most scientific way to maintain health.
Li Zhengxing also places great importance on the ecological protection of tea gardens. He believes that a good ecological environment is the foundation for producing high-quality tea. The partner tea gardens of Longyuanhao all undergo strict environmental assessments to ensure that the tea trees grow in a natural and healthy environment.
Making friends through tea — please, have a cup.
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Author: Lam Sam (LamSam), the Old Tea Head
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Alliance Supply Chain Services Limited
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