“The craftsmanship of Wuyi rock tea is the most complicated among all tea,“ You Yuqiong, an inheritor of Wuyi rock tea craftsmanship, says.

　　Since joining a tea factory in 1985, You has been engaged in the tea-making industry for 40 years. Throughout these years, she has remained committed to traditional techniques, striving for excellence because “traditional techniques are the soul“.

　　Tourists learn how to gauge a tea leaf's maturity.[Photo byJIANG KEHONG/CHEN YING/QIU RUQUAN/XINHUA]

　　At the same time, she actively learns about advanced technologies and stays at the forefront of innovation. She was one of the earliest tea makers in the country to use tea-picking machines. Her son, Fang Zhou, a graduate from the University of Warwick in Coventry, the United Kingdom, helps apply algorithms into the ancient wisdom.

　　He projects artificial intelligence models that predict optimal roasting temperatures.

　　“This is the development of society, and modern technology is something that must be used in the process of industry progress. Technology empowers our traditional industry,“ You says.

　　You Yuqiong, an inheritor of Wuyi rock tea craftsmanship, processes leaves in bamboo trays in Wuyishan, Fujian.[Photo byJIANG KEHONG/CHEN YING/QIU RUQUAN/XINHUA]

　　Beyond the leaf, Fujian provincial authorities have promoted the deep integration of tea culture and tourism, creating a business model characterized by “tea-infused banquets, tea-themed accommodations, tea trails for traveling, tea gardens for sightseeing, tea gifts for shopping, and tea performances for entertainment“.