For many people, the new Chinese tea brand Chayan Yuese has become synonymous with Changsha, Hunan province, and has emerged as a lively addition to social media platforms.

Brand founder Sun Cuiying said she credits the tea's popularity to the favorable economic conditions of the times and to the fact that younger people are more familiar with traditional Chinese culture.

"People born after the 1990s have grown up and are more confident," she said, adding that they are also more patriotic, so they choose Chinese-style products.

"We want to thank people for liking us," she said. "We feel the pressure is also somewhat fearsome because of the popularity," but that only makes her company work harder. She also believes the popularity of Changsha does not arise from a single brand but rather the joint efforts from the government and other brands.

Sun and her husband, Lyu Liang, opened a bubble tea shop in the city in 2013. The company now has more than 500 shops in 14 cities and employs more than 7,000 people. It is expected to open more shops in four cities in Hunan province in March and April.

Hu Dianhan contributed to this story.