Abstract: This paper focuses on the organizational form in the process of agricultural transformation in China by examining the family-run operation and market network of the tea industry. In particular,the influence of person-to-person relationship,contact details and social mentality on the organizational structure of the tea industry,as well as the impact of technical requirements of the crops and the social structure of specific regions,are analyzed in order to obtain a general understanding of the organizational form of the agricultural transformation. With its a long cultivation history, tea has a unique aesthetic and culture in China that determines the technical requirements for planting and picking. The technical details of tea cultivation and harvest process decide the unique role of family-based management. Thus,around tea emerges a complex yet efficient organizational structure combining family management with market networks. However,the tea industrial chain is extremely decentralized and informal. An effective operation of the network demands to overcome a certain “organizational dilemma”. In day-to-day operation,this kind of problem is resolved through the local “tea farming circles” and “social mentality”,something uniquely Chinese. Presented here is an examination of social contact details and social mentality that explores the social foundation of this unique agricultural organization. Social contact details imply the notion of Fei Xiaotong's “culture understanding”. Combined with the effort of localization of sociological theory,this study helps to further sociological research on social relations.

Key words: agricultural transformation, social contact details, cultural understanding, sociology localization in China