The 2007 King of West Lake Longjing Green Tea Drying Compitition was held in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang province, Thursday, Mar 22, 2007. Over 30 local masters of tea competing for the title, exposing freshly-picked tea-leaves to heat, expelling surplus moisture from them. An auction of the best dried tea was held, following the contest, and the most treasured 200 grams was bought by a businessman for 11,000 yuan (US$1380). East China's Hanghzou has China's top class tea plantations, and West Lake's Longjing, or Dragon Well, is one of the most famous brands of green tea in this tea-loving country.

A businessman from a local tea company shows the public the tea he has just bought from an auction, following the contest on Thursday, Mar 22, 2007. The price is 11,000 yuan (US$1380) for 200 grams. 
 

Local masters of tea parching compete with each other for the title of "King of Tea Drying" on Thursday, Mar 22, 2007.

A group of Chaboshi, the waiter from a traditional Chinese tea house, performs in a tea farm to demonstrate tea etiquette from the past.

Girls prepare to play tea music in a tea farm, using the Guzheng, a stringed instrument from ancient China.

(CRI.cn, Xinhua News Agency March 23, 2007)