Visitors crawl through an opening as they hike through the scenic spot. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

They're even more thankful once they hear Zhou's story.

He tells his latest group of visitors the multiple tables and chairs at which they are seated were carried by Zhou one-by-one, across the tricky terrain, all by himself.

Recently, Zhou has been making the trek almost daily, leaving his home no later than 7am.

Often he carries buckets and supplies - occasionally, new tables - before making the tea from water he collects at a nearby spring, less than 10 meters from his set-up.

There he stays until around 5pm - an exhaustingly long day which, last month, finally got the better of him.

"One day it was too hot and it left me dizzy and I just fell down, unconscious," Zhou said.

"I was lying on the ground about 10 minutes and then I woke up and just walked to a peasant's house.

"I came alive."

If you think he'd be slowing down to stay alive, think again.

As for how long Zhou will continue the free tea service: "It's hard to say. If it's possible, I'll do it forever."