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News from Xinhua net says that 140 tea peasants from Xihu dragon well tea protection zones came to Chinese Tea Museum to have free trainings. They were taught tea making by professors and masters, in order to join the coming competition. Although sponsors have encouraged young villagers to participate, 70 percent are old men above 40. villagers says that, this craft is not very costly, but time-consuming. So more and more young people don’t choose to learn it.

Yang Jichang, 66 years old, has fried tea for 40 years. He spread out his hands to show us his cocoon and moulage because of the high temperature. “This is a hard work, and it costs about 2 to 6 years to learn it very well. So do you think young men will devote to it?” he said. 

The reserve contains 9 tea villages and 2 communities, with 4000 peasants, and half of them can fry tea but almost past 40 years old. “ on the one hand, young people are afraid of hard work; on the other hand, peasants would rather want their offspring to go out for school or working.” A villager said. 

Government has recognized the trend of losing tie guan yin tea frying craft. So this tea frying competition will provide a free training to young people and this is a method to encourage more young men to learn this craft. This craft has been listed to be national intangible cultural heritage to get protection.