At 9:00 AM on July 16, the scientific expedition team headed to the Pu’er City Tea Industry Bureau for an interview on the development overview of Pu’er tea, where they were warmly received by Mr. Zhu, Chairman of the Tea Industry Bureau.
Mr. Zhu first gave a detailed introduction to Pu’er City. Located on the southwestern border of Yunnan, Pu’er borders Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. The city covers an area of 45,385 square kilometers, with 98.3% of the region being mountainous. Pu’er boasts an excellent ecological environment, with a forest coverage rate of over 61%. The area is rich in natural resources, with one-third of China’s plant species found here. The average annual temperature ranges between 15-20°C, with neither severe cold in winter nor intense heat in summer, making it highly suitable for tea cultivation and production. Pu’er’s main resources include tea, forestry, minerals, water conservancy, and ethnic cultural tourism. Among these, hydropower development is in full swing, with several cascade power stations already built along the Lancang River to fully utilize its abundant water resources. As for mineral resources, China’s largest iron ore deposit in the southwest has been discovered at the foot of Jingmai Mountain. However, this iron ore lies beneath thousands of acres of ancient tea forests. Mining would inevitably impact the tea forests, so the people of Pu’er resolutely chose to protect the ancient trees rather than pursue immediate economic gains.
Next, Chairman Zhu discussed the development of the Jingmai Ancient Tea Forest. The Jingmai Ancient Tea Forest, belonging to the two villages of Mangjing and Jingmai, spans 2,800 acres and has a history of 1,800 years, making it the largest and oldest cultivated tea forest in the world. Currently, the Jingmai Ancient Tea Forest has been listed as a pilot site for UNESCO Natural and Cultural Heritage. From the government to the local people, Pu’er City is united in its efforts to become an official heritage site. The entire application and inspection process took just one year, accomplishing what other candidates had failed to achieve in over ten years. Pu’er City is now planning a tourism project centered around the tea ancestor culture of the Blang ethnic group. This project is currently under construction and is expected to be completed around 2016.
In addition, regarding why Pu’er tea has only recently gained widespread public recognition, the chairman provided the following explanation: Before the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, the general population in China often faced food and clothing shortages, and Pu’er tea, known for its fat-reducing and greasy-food-counteracting properties, was not widely known. Meanwhile, people in Tibetan areas, who traditionally consume a lot of animal-based foods, have long had a high demand for Pu’er tea. Traditional butter tea is made by mixing Pu’er tea with butter. After the reform and opening up, people’s living standards improved significantly, and the current era is one in which Pu’er tea is being embraced and needed by the public.
Regarding the future development of Pu’er tea, Chairman Zhu mentioned that Pu’er City has established a Pu’er tea powder factory invested in by TianShiLi Group. Turning Pu’er tea into powder will greatly enhance its adaptability to fast-paced urban life. At the same time, the people of Pu’er will continue to develop traditional tea cake and tea tuó production, striving to build these products into high-end premium offerings.
This visit to the Pu’er City Tea Industry Bureau marked the beginning of the scientific expedition team’s summer investigation into Yunnan’s tea culture.
Mr. Zhu first gave a detailed introduction to Pu’er City. Located on the southwestern border of Yunnan, Pu’er borders Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. The city covers an area of 45,385 square kilometers, with 98.3% of the region being mountainous. Pu’er boasts an excellent ecological environment, with a forest coverage rate of over 61%. The area is rich in natural resources, with one-third of China’s plant species found here. The average annual temperature ranges between 15-20°C, with neither severe cold in winter nor intense heat in summer, making it highly suitable for tea cultivation and production. Pu’er’s main resources include tea, forestry, minerals, water conservancy, and ethnic cultural tourism. Among these, hydropower development is in full swing, with several cascade power stations already built along the Lancang River to fully utilize its abundant water resources. As for mineral resources, China’s largest iron ore deposit in the southwest has been discovered at the foot of Jingmai Mountain. However, this iron ore lies beneath thousands of acres of ancient tea forests. Mining would inevitably impact the tea forests, so the people of Pu’er resolutely chose to protect the ancient trees rather than pursue immediate economic gains.
Next, Chairman Zhu discussed the development of the Jingmai Ancient Tea Forest. The Jingmai Ancient Tea Forest, belonging to the two villages of Mangjing and Jingmai, spans 2,800 acres and has a history of 1,800 years, making it the largest and oldest cultivated tea forest in the world. Currently, the Jingmai Ancient Tea Forest has been listed as a pilot site for UNESCO Natural and Cultural Heritage. From the government to the local people, Pu’er City is united in its efforts to become an official heritage site. The entire application and inspection process took just one year, accomplishing what other candidates had failed to achieve in over ten years. Pu’er City is now planning a tourism project centered around the tea ancestor culture of the Blang ethnic group. This project is currently under construction and is expected to be completed around 2016.
In addition, regarding why Pu’er tea has only recently gained widespread public recognition, the chairman provided the following explanation: Before the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, the general population in China often faced food and clothing shortages, and Pu’er tea, known for its fat-reducing and greasy-food-counteracting properties, was not widely known. Meanwhile, people in Tibetan areas, who traditionally consume a lot of animal-based foods, have long had a high demand for Pu’er tea. Traditional butter tea is made by mixing Pu’er tea with butter. After the reform and opening up, people’s living standards improved significantly, and the current era is one in which Pu’er tea is being embraced and needed by the public.
Regarding the future development of Pu’er tea, Chairman Zhu mentioned that Pu’er City has established a Pu’er tea powder factory invested in by TianShiLi Group. Turning Pu’er tea into powder will greatly enhance its adaptability to fast-paced urban life. At the same time, the people of Pu’er will continue to develop traditional tea cake and tea tuó production, striving to build these products into high-end premium offerings.
This visit to the Pu’er City Tea Industry Bureau marked the beginning of the scientific expedition team’s summer investigation into Yunnan’s tea culture.