Duryunsan in Haenam Filled with Spring Energy... Hands-On Green Tea Experience from Picking to Roasting

A special experience event will be held at the foot of Duryunsan Mountain in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, where the vibrant green of spring is in full bloom, allowing participants to trace the footsteps of Choui Seonsa, revered as the sage of tea.

Haenam County announced on April 17 that it will operate a traditional green tea experience event in the green tea field area of Duryunsan Provincial Park for two weeks, from April 27 to May 10, to celebrate Gogu, the solar term said to bring spring rain that enriches the crops.

Haenam County operates a traditional green tea experience event at Duryunsan Provincial Park's green tea field area to celebrate the seasonal grain rain. Photo by Haenam County

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This program allows participants to receive a tea-picking basket at Duryunmiro Park and directly pick young tea leaves in the lush green tea fields, as well as experience the traditional roasting process using an iron cauldron.

The participation fee is 5,000 won per person. To create meaningful memories for participants, a small event will be held where the tea-picking process is captured with a Polaroid photo. The experience is offered twice daily, in the morning and afternoon, and registration can be made in advance or onsite on the day of the event. In order to protect the growth of the tea trees and ensure a safe and pleasant environment, the county plans to limit each session to 20 participants for tea picking and 10 for roasting.

Duryunsan green tea boasts a long history, as Choui Seonsa (1786-1866), known as the “sage of tea” who led the golden age of Korean tea, stayed at Iljiam Hermitage in Daeheungsa Temple and wrote “Dongdasong (Ode to Eastern Tea)” here.

Currently, about 140,000 green tea trees are cultivated on a 28,000-square-meter site at the entrance of Duryunsan Mountain and are managed strictly using eco-friendly farming methods. Each year, when the tea-picking season arrives, the site has become a popular destination for tea enthusiasts from across the country and families alike.

A Haenam County official said, “We hope this opportunity to directly pick and roast green tea leaves amid the pristine nature of Duryunsan Provincial Park will help participants appreciate the tradition and cultural value of our green tea.” For advance reservations and further information, please contact the Duryunsan Provincial Park Management Office.

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