If tea has a birthplace, it's Yunnan. This mountainous province in southwestern China is home to ancient wild tea trees, some estimated to be thousands of years old, and Yunnan remains the source of one of tea's most fascinating categories: Pu'er tea.
On Nannuo Mountain in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, hundred-year-old ancient tea trees are seen everywhere.
Nannuo Mountain hosts a world-famous gene bank of ancient tea trees. Most tea plants here are over a century old. As a key source of raw Pu'er tea, it enjoys the reputation of "the world's No.1 ancient tea village".
These ancient tea trees scattered all over the hills speak to Yunnan's remarkable tropical mountain terroir: misty, diffused sunlight, big swings between daytime and nighttime temperatures, and rich humus soil. Growing at a gentle pace, the trees build up a wealth of natural compounds, yielding tea that is full-bodied, long-lasting on the palate, sweet, and brimming with vibrant forest character.
Today, Yunnan tea is exported to 32 countries and regions across the globe.
Reporter, video & poster | Huang Xinyi
