Based on the daily life of a Tea-monk this ethnographic research investigates the cultural aspects of the Zen tea performances known as 'Jingshanchayan' from the perspective of tourism culture. The paper explores the meaning of tourism culture linking it to heritage, and investigates the authenticity of intangible heritage as tourism develops in China. The paper first reviews critical theorist Walter Benjamin's concept of'authenticity' (the uniqueness - authenticity - of the original object will disappear if it is reproduced, and it thus loses its authority) and notes the neglected term 'aura' (the force arising from the effect of an object being uniquely present in time and space). Both authenticity and aura arise from and are embedded in ritual and tradition; however, aura does not receive the same level of attention as authenticity. The paper analyzes the concept of aura and investigates its absence in academic and practical fields. The study of aura addresses two crucial questions relating to 'who needs authenticity and why' and 'how has authenticity been used'. This is in contrast to the deeply researched question of 'what is authenticity'. The paper helps to transcend the limitation set by the current discussions on authenticity. Jingshanchayan, one of China's national intangible heritage projects, has attracted many tourists from across the globe, particularly from Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Based on observations made and interviews undertaken during two field research periods, the paper studies the process of authenticity changes in bidding for national intangible heritage designationand the aura of national heritage brands with the development of tourism. During the 4 month pilot study (April-July 2012) semi-structured interviews were conducted after a close relationship was established between the monks of Jingshan temple and the author. The study focused on the process of reproducing Jingshanchayan and Mingxing's daily life related to Zen tea ceremony. The paper explores the authenticity and aura of Jingshanchayan in the context of tourism. The original experience plays an important role in authenticity, and Jingshanchayan needs to develop in answer to market and government challenges. National heritage aura activates the promotion of local brands and city images. This attracts tourists and encourages scholars to research the heritage, both of which are beneficial for the sustainable development of culture. The study of Jingshanchayan reveals that against a background of globalization, local knowledge is a valuable resource that can satisfy the cultural curiosity of tourists. Offering heritage becomes a form of cultural performance that can help heritage sites a valuable aura and thus attract social attention. However, intangible heritage performances adjust to cater to government and market demands, leading to authenticity problems. The paper argues that heritage is the result of a market with its own authenticity and the aura of heritage benefits the promotion of local brands. Jingshanchayan is just one cultural practice demonstrating the appropriate use of the aura of heritage. Generally, it highlights the problems attached to the process of intangible cultural heritage certification and development, such as bulk reproduction, standardization and ignorance of cultural diversity.