Contestants exert their skills in drying tea leaves under the sun, a critical process in making tieguanyin tea, at the finals of the inaugural Anxi Tieguanyin Masters in early June. [Photo/Xinhua]

More than 2,000 local tea makers entered the competition, submitting their most refined teas to be judged by a panel of veteran tea connoisseurs including Chen Yurong, one of China's top tea critics.

At the ceremony, local tea masters Li Jindeng and Wang Qinghai took home the two million yuan checks, with a further eight second prize winners each claiming 50,000 yuan.

Li said that he planned to invest his winnings in expanding his tea plantation and in further technological research. He also plans to mentor a number of apprentices each year and spread tea making and tasting knowledge among tea growers.

Fellow prize winner Wang also said he wanted to help less well-off tea growers increase their incomes by improving their management practices and by improving their tea making techniques. He is considering setting up after-school activities to inspire local students to try tea making.