Bailin Ancient Town 白琳古镇

About Bailin Ancient Town

Bailin Town is described by the provincial government as the birthplace of Fuding's tea trade, of Bailin Gongfu black tea and of the newer processing style of white tea. At its height in the late Qing and early Republican years the town had thirty-six sizeable tea houses handling fresh-leaf trading, processing and sales. That trade centred on the old street, which still keeps its stone paving and narrow lanes.

Since the early 2020s the town has run an old-street revival project on repair-as-old principles, restoring old dwellings and former tea firms such as the Tongshuntai tea house and adding a white-tea museum, a cultural corridor in Sanzhong Lane and about a kilometre of restyled roadway. Alongside the traditional tea houses there are now tea bookshops, tea restaurants and tea-art classrooms. Bailin is one of the core white-tea producing towns of Fuding, and the street is presented as a stop on the county's tea-tourism routes rather than as a formally listed historic town.

What to look for

• The flagstone-paved old street that was the town's historic tea market
• Restored old tea firms along the street, including the Tongshuntai tea house
• The white-tea museum built on Bailin Old Street
• The cultural corridor in Sanzhong Lane

Location & getting there

Getting to Bailin Ancient Town

Identify the main visitor approach and any separately managed houses, museums or performances. Ask before entering residential spaces or photographing residents.

• Search for 白琳古镇 with 宁德市 and 福鼎市.