Russian students sketch Beibu Tea Garden in Dagangtou town in Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

Teachers and students from St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design visited Beibu Tea Garden in Dagangtou town in Lishui, Zhejiang province, on Oct 14. They sketched terraced tea fields and captured the area's ecological scenery and rural charm.

Dagangtou is a major tea-producing area in Liandu district. Beibu village lies beside the Oujiang River, with a mild climate and abundant rain. In golden autumn, the fragrance of osmanthus mingles with the aroma of tea, creating a Jiangnan autumn feel.

A student said it was her first time seeing tea grow. She found the environment ideal for creating art and said she would return.

After sketching, a Chinese tea ceremony was held. A tea master demonstrated the local tea brewing and explained Liandu's tea culture. Participants tasted tea and heard how tea supports rural development. Local artists also presented calligraphy and painting.

The group comprised three teachers and seven students from the Department of Monumental Art. During their nine-day trip, they will create works in Guyan Huaxiang and Beibu Tea Garden. An auction of their sketches is to be held on Oct 16 under the ancient camphor tree in Guyan Huaxiang.