Línxiāng

Linxiang lies in northeastern Hunan, between the Yangtze and the mountain country bordering Hubei. Its old county seat at Lucheng stood by the great river, while the southern district rose toward the Longjiao Mountains. Tea grown on these slopes travelled along old stone roads to markets beyond the hills.

During the Ming and Qing, migrants from Jiangxi settled in Linxiang, leaving a lasting mark on its speech. One family moved to Xiaogang at the foot of Longjiao Mountain in the late Ming and later built a substantial residence there. Tea from the village went by road to Xindian, where boats carried it through Huang Gai Lake to the Yangtze and on to Hankou.