This paper explores the ritual practices associated with Beiyuan Tribute Tea production in Jianzhou, Fujian, China. Beiyuan Tribute Tea, a historically significant tea, originated in the Tang Dynasty, flourished during the Song Dynasty, and experienced a decline in the Ming Dynasty, reproduced in contemporary times. The tea’s production involved intricate rituals that not only enhanced its quality but also embedded it deeply into the socio-cultural and religious fabric of the time. These rituals, encompassing aspects of religious reverence, craftsmanship, and social etiquette, played a crucial role in the tea’s esteemed status as a tribute to Chinese emperors in history. The study utilized ethnographic methods, including participant observation, in-depth interviews with 17 people, and document analysis, to capture the rich, contextual details of the tea production process. The study delves into the historical context, production techniques, and symbolic meanings of the rituals, highlighting their impact on the broader cultural heritage of Chinese tea. The recent revival efforts of these traditions underscore their enduring significance and offer insights into the cultural continuity and adaptation in contemporary tea practices.

Land use changes have been demonstrated to exert a significant influence on urban planning and sustainable development, particularly in regions undergoing rapid urbanization. Tehran Province, as the political and economic capital of Iran, has undergone substantial growth in recent decades. The present study employs sophisticated Geographic Information System (GIS) instruments and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to comprehensively track and analyze land use change over the past two decades. A comprehensive analysis of Landsat images of the Tehran metropolitan area from 2003 to 2023 has yielded significant insights into the patterns of land use change. The methodology encompasses the utilization of GIS, GEE, and TerrSet techniques for image classification, accuracy assessment, and change detection. The Kappa coefficients for the maps obtained for 2016 and 2023 were 0.82 and 0.87 for four classes: built-up, vegetation cover, barren land, and water bodies. The findings suggest that, over the past two decades, Tehran Province has undergone a substantial decline in ecological and vegetative areas, amounting to 2.4% (458.3 km2). Concurrently, the urban area and the barren lands have expanded by 287.5 and 125.5 km2, respectively. The increase in water bodies during this period is likely attributable to the reduction of vegetation cover and dam construction in the region. The present study demonstrates that remote sensing and GIS are excellent tools for monitoring environmental and sustainable urban development in areas experiencing rapid urbanization and land use changes.