Zhang Yiyuan Tea Shop [Photo via tuchong.com]

According to the old people, Beijingers care much about their lives in the early years. There is a phase saying Beijingers go to Zhengming Zhai for snakes and Zhang Yiyuan for tea.

The earliest Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop was established in the 26th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty at Beijing by Zhang Changyi with the given name of Wenqing. Zhang Changyi came from Shexian County, Anhui Province and at that time he finally set up his own teashop after decades of hard work. It was named Yiyuan following the saying of "a new year renews and refreshes everything and blesses his prosperous and evergreen business".

Zhang Changyi opened another ten teashops in the next decade and the "Yiyuan" brand was very famous in Beijing for its honest business operation, high quantity and excellent services.

In 1992, Beijing Zhang Yiyuan Tea Co., Ltd. was established and then the company set the Zhang Yiyuan Tea Co. Quality Standard, which was the first one among Beijing old-trade-names. Nowadays, Zhang Yiyuan has set up almost 60 branches around China, developed and sold several hundred varieties of teas, which has created wonders in the new century.