Enjoying tea in a beautiful garden. Beijing's Eight-Temple Mountain provides the setting for a four-week festival that celebrates the best of both. On Sunday morning, the first visitors basked in the sunshine while drinking in the scenery and brew.

Children holding colorful balloons were all waiting for the start of the Garden and Tea Cultural Festival. Beijing's Shijingshan District and the Fujian Provincial Bureau of Agriculture are reminding the capital's citizens that there's more to tea than leaves and water, and more to a garden than just plants.

"Horticulture has a long history in China, so does tea culture. The festival brings the two things close together, aiming to enrich the traditional content of both," said Director of Fujian Provincial Bureau of Agriculture, Wu Jianhua.

With its thousands of years of history, tea has a special meaning in China. It not only is a healthy beverage, but also has its own culture, which encourages communication by bringing people together. Professionals took visitors through all the steps of the traditional tea ceremony.

The festival will last until October 26. For an unforgettable holiday, enjoy the beautiful scenery at the Eight-Temple Mountain and have a cup of fantastic tea.

(CCTV.com September 29, 2003)