Pujiang is a county of low, green hills about ninety kilometres south-west of Chengdu, on the road towards Ya'an, and it is tea country. The hills here are planted with terraces of tea bushes, and the leaf picked in spring is processed into the green teas that Sichuan drinks daily, including the flat-pressed and the curly varieties sold all over the province. In the middle of the county, a reservoir in a wooded valley has been developed as a scenic area, and it makes a pleasant and undemanding day out of the city.
The lake and the gardens
Shixiang Lake is a small, irregular reservoir surrounded by wooded slopes, with paths, boardwalks, pavilions and islands. Its reputation rests on the flower displays: fields of tulips and other bulbs planted for spring, and seasonal bedding through the rest of the year, which makes it a popular destination for Chengdu families in March and April. Outside the peak flower weeks it is much quieter, and the walk around the water through bamboo, pine and camphor is the main attraction, with boats for hire and a few teahouses at the water's edge.
The tea hills
The surrounding countryside is more interesting than the lake for anyone curious about tea. The hills are worked in small plots, and in spring you can see picking by hand, with baskets of leaf being carried down to collection points; there are processing sheds where the leaf is withered, pan-fired or steamed, rolled and dried, and a few estates and cooperatives that welcome visitors and sell directly. Sichuan green tea is drunk fresh and lightly brewed, quite different from the aged and compressed teas of Yunnan, and the local teahouse culture depends on it. Buying a sealed packet of spring tea from the county is a better souvenir than anything sold in the city centre.
Practical notes
Pujiang is about an hour and a half from Chengdu by road, and the lake has an admission charge; opening hours are daylight hours, and the site is busiest during the spring flower season and on weekends. Public transport exists to the county town but not conveniently to the lake, so a car or a taxi for the day is the practical option. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; the summer is humid and the winter grey. Combine the trip with a tea estate visit and with the nearby ancient towns on the route, which make a full day out of the city.
