On the morning of July 20, the research team arrived in Mangjing Village. Led by a village committee officer, some members of the team conducted an interview with Su Guowen, the Prince of the Brown Ethnic Group.
    Su Guowen is the son of Su Liya, the last chieftain of the Mangjing Brown Ethnic Group. Having worked in education for 40 years, he is proficient in five minority languages and three scripts, and has made significant contributions to the literacy campaign of the Lahu people. It was him—single-handedly—who compiled the history of the Brown Ethnic Group, funded the construction of a cultural park, improved education for his people, and helped revive Brown Ethnic culture. During the interview, Teacher Su provided a detailed introduction to the history of the Brown Ethnic Group and the origins of tea. As the prince of the Brown Ethnic Group, Teacher Su carries the great responsibility of revitalizing his people and has an in-depth understanding of their history. Additionally, as an experienced tea farmer, Teacher Su also shared insights on the general state and development of Brown Ethnic tea cultivation.
    Regarding views on tea tourism, Teacher Su pointed out that developing tourism must respect ethnic cultures and customs—for example, setting off fireworks should be confined to specific times and locations, not done arbitrarily. Singing and dancing should also take place at designated times and places rather than being altered just to cater to tourists. Along with the growth of tea tourism, outside ideas have been introduced, including some negative ones—such as merchants blending ecological tea with ancient tree tea purely for economic gain, which affects the brand quality of the tea. Economic development can learn from the Han people, but cultural development must preserve the roots of Brown Ethnic culture.
    For the future of Brown Ethnic cultural heritage, Teacher Su expressed the desire to establish a sacred site that truly reflects Brown Ethnic culture; museums should not be mixed with temples; and a performance stage should be built where people can engage in ethnic song and dance competitions to showcase the preservation status of their culture.
    Concerning inheritors of Brown Ethnic culture, Teacher Su stated that a love for their ethnic culture and a spirit of dedication are the most fundamental qualities. What needs to be done most now is to help people hold onto the concept of cultural inheritance, stay true to their beliefs, know how to sing their own songs and dances, wear their traditional clothing; to foster unity; and to retain the beautiful qualities of honesty and kindness.
Through the interview with Teacher Su Guowen, the research team gained a lot and developed a clearer understanding of Brown Ethnic history, which will play an important role in their future work in Mangjing Village.