West Lake Longjing | A Taste of Hangzhou

Spring in Hangzhou begins with this cup. A breeze crosses West Lake and its willow-lined banks, then rises into the tea hills to the west. In the Tang Dynasty, Liu Yu's Classic of Tea recorded tea from Tianzhu and Lingyin in Qiantang. Centuries later, Su Shi and the monk Biankai met over tea at Longjing, a friendship remembered in the story of Crossing the Stream. Time stays in the landscape. Craft lives on in the hands that make the tea. Tender shoots, picked with care. Fresh leaves, spread in a thin layer. A pan, a pair of hands. Little by little, the leaves take on Longjing's distinctive flat shape. Water first, then the tea. Watch the leaves open, let the fragrance rise. A gentle sip, fresh and mellow. Walk through Hangzhou, or sit down and savor it. A quiet cup for yourself, a warm welcome for someone else. Sihu Longjing, a cup to remember Hangzhou by. Codex coordinated this film. We began with research into Hangzhou and Longjing, then developed the shots, generated the visuals, and added narration and editing. The shape of the tea leaves and the way hands move were key parts of the revision.