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Yunnan Tea Mountain Stories

Into the real tea mountains of Yunnan — from Jingmai to Mangfei

Yunnan is the origin of the world's tea trees, home to vast ancient tea forests both wild and cultivated. Songdehao's tea mountain series takes you to four core producing regions — Jingmai, Mangfei, Yiwu, and Bulang — exploring thousand-year-old tea forests, visiting ancient tree gardens, and documenting tea-making in real time. Not a travel guide, but a tea person's first-hand observations.

Four Major Tea Mountains

Jingmai Mountain (Pu'er, Lancang): UNESCO World Heritage site, thousand-year ancient tea forest at 1000-1600m elevation, tea trees coexisting with forest, floral orchid notes. Mangfei Mountain (Lincang, Yongde): Dense ancient tree tea area at 1500-1900m, persistent aftertaste, excellent value. Yiwu (Xishuangbanna, Mengla): Soft and refined, floral honey notes, historically a major Puer tea trading hub. Bulang Mountain (Xishuangbanna, Menghai): Bold and intense, home to Lao Ban Zhang, strong bitterness turning to powerful sweetness.

Jingmai World Heritage

In 2023, the "Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er" was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the world's first tea-themed World Heritage. Jingmai preserves over a thousand years of under-forest cultivation tradition, with ancient tea trees growing symbiotically within the primary forest, forming a unique "forest-tea-village" ecosystem.

Tea Mountains × Cities

Jingmai Mountain → Pu'er City, Lancang County. Mangfei Mountain → Lincang City, Yongde County. Yiwu + Bulang Mountain → Xishuangbanna Prefecture (Mengla + Menghai). These three regions cover Yunnan's most important Puer tea raw material sources.

Articles in This Guide

From Dianchao Stadium to Yunnan Tea Mountains: A Life Called Yunnan

July 14, 2026

The Dianchao league finale featured a Yunnan tea float. From Tuodong Stadium to Jingmai, Mangfei, and Yiwu-Bulang — football and tea are two expressions of life in Yunnan.

Exploring Jingmai Mountain: Summer in the Thousand-Year Ancient Tea Forest

June 25, 2026

Ancient tea forest at 1000-1600m altitude on Jingmai Mountain, China's first World Heritage site themed around tea.

Summer on Jingmai Mountain: A Cool Retreat in the Ancient Tea Forest

July 27, 2026

A July travelogue through Jingmai Mountain's ancient tea forests: thousand-year-old tea trees form a canopy of shade, the forest floor stays cool and pleasant, and the rich ecosystem makes it a World Heritage-grade summer retreat.

What Yunnan's Tea Mountains Look Like During the Rainy Season

July 7, 2026

The real rainy season on Yunnan's tea mountains from June to August: clouds and mist, muddy roads, fast-growing tea trees, high-moisture fresh leaves, and the challenges and flavor characteristics of rainy season tea.