UNESCO listing promotes tea culture in Yunnan

A tea farmer picks tea leaves in an old tea forest of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Sept 19, 2023.

A year on from being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old tea forests in Jingmai Mountain, Yunnan province, are abuzz with activity as the first shoots of the new picking season begin to sprout.

Life hasn't been the same for Yue Paxian and her friends from Jingmai village in Pu'er after the Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List on Sept 17 last year.

As a result of the global honor, sales of the local tea have been booming, and despite the increased pressure on demand, the tea farmers are sticking to their tradition of only picking tea in spring and autumn.

"We all know that if we don't continue to cherish Jingmai Mountain just as our ancestors did, our happy lives today may one day be lost," said Yue. "Each tea leaf carries the gift of nature and the wisdom of our ancestors."

Jingmai is the world's first cultural heritage site related to tea, owing to its unique history of tea cultivation.

Unlike ordinary tea gardens, here tea trees grow among the forests with minimal human interference. Tall trees help shade tea plants from strong sunlight, and grass, twigs and leaves keep the soil lush. Bugs and birds help in pest control.

The nine ancient villages in the area, mainly inhabited by the Blang and Dai ethnic groups, have maintained a harmonious relationship with the forest for over 1,000 years.

Back in the 10th century, a tribal leader from the Blang ethnic group discovered the place and stumbled upon the medicinal qualities of the wild tea. They decided to settle, planting more tea plants in the forests. Their tradition of tea cultivation has been well-preserved to maintain the authentic quality and flavor.

Now that the area has become a world-famous attraction, thanks in part to the UNESCO listing, the local government has promised to prioritize protection to realize sustainability.

A view of an old tea forest of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province

Tea protection teams made up of villagers have been established. A series of regulations have been released such as banning improper construction that may harm the landscape, or destroying forests to plant more tea.

Conservation awareness among villagers has also increased. They now request that visitors do not litter or throw cigarette butts, and they pay more attention to the environmental hygiene of their villages, keeping their own homes and the surrounding areas clean.

"In the past, we focused more on our own economic development. Now every household knows that every blade of grass, every brick and every tile of Jingmai Mountain needs to be protected," said Shai Kan, from Mangjing village.

Since September last year, Jingmai Mountain has had 402,000 visits, up 33.52 percent year-on-year, generating tourism revenue of 338 million yuan ($47.6 million), a year-on-year increase of 184 percent, according to the local authorities.

Dao Yanliang runs a homestay at Mangjing village where tourists can wake each morning to see a sea of clouds out of their bedroom windows. He said that after the world heritage listing his 15 rooms have been basically fully booked during the holidays.

"The fame and reputation of Jingmai Mountain have rapidly increased, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists," he said.

Er Ken and her husband said their tea garden, restaurant and ethnic costume rental store brought in an income of 340,000 yuan in the past year.

She said villagers used to rely on either selling tea or working away from home. But now young migrant workers are returning to their villages.

Yu Meng started livestreaming two months ago to introduce Jingmai Mountain and sell local specialties to the wider world. Over the past two months, she has earned 20,000 yuan. She is one of the about 100 young returnees who've taken up livestreaming.

Last year, the comprehensive output value of the tea industry in Jingmai Mountain reached 517 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 31.55 percent, according to local authorities.

Over the past year, 19.82 million yuan has also been invested to renovate three villages.