The Ecological Beauty of Yunnan Ancient Tree Tea!

Note: This is a record made in 2022 for a tea lecture, which has been kept as a draft for future lectures. In recent years, there has been no opportunity to give tea lectures, and if I don't publish it, the ink will fade. I won't revise it; I'll just publish it directly and put it in the 'Tea Talk on Paper' series. This is the thirty-third article in my Tea Talk on Paper series. Click to view more Tea Talk on Paper articles.

I am Lü Jianfeng. In 2008, I founded 51 Pu'er Net, which was doing quite well at the time. In 2011, I started making tea under my own brand, called Zhongmu. I have made over a hundred tea products since then, and I am still launching new products. In 2015, I started crowdfunding tea and founded the brand Houyue. In 2018, I went to Dehong and co-founded Dehong Ancient Tea with Teacher Shi Yilong. I have been making tea for 13 years and am still learning. I welcome all teachers to offer guidance. I have written a series of articles called 'Tea Talk on Paper', among which the 'Tea People Biographies' sub-series has been widely spread and is still being updated. I have also made a series of videos called 'Old Lü Talks Tea', where I try to explain my understanding of tea. There are over a hundred videos, and I am recently planning to update them. They are all available on the 'Old Lü Talks Tea' public account. Welcome everyone to learn more.

Let's first look at a set of data:

According to 2021 data from Yunnan forestry departments, Yunnan's forest land area is 424 million mu! Yunnan's forest coverage rate exceeds 65%. What about the national average? It's 23%. Let's look at Fujian and Zhejiang: Fujian ranks first nationally, also exceeding 65%, and Zhejiang is 61%. You see, the main tea-producing areas all have high forest coverage rates. The province with the largest tea planting area in China is Guizhou, with over 7 million mu, and it is said to soon exceed 10 million mu. Guizhou's forest coverage rate also exceeds 60%. Could the next hot spot be Guizhou tea? Through forest coverage rates, I introduce my viewpoint today:

The Ecological Beauty of Yunnan Ancient Tree Tea!

Next, let's talk about today's theme.

I. Tea Culture of Yunnan Ethnic Minorities.

1. The Slash-and-Burn Agriculture of the Hani People

I know quite a bit about the Hani people, not from books, but from chatting with some Hani people, especially some elders. Hani men don't go out to work; they stay home and take care of the children. There is a reason for this. The Dai people in Menghai live at the foot of the mountains, while the Hani, Lahu, and Blang people mostly live on the mountains. This is determined by strength. For example, if the Hani people had a particularly good village, and the Dai people liked it, the Dai would make the Hani feel they should move, because the Dai wanted to live in that village. Unlike now, there was no rule of law then; strength decided everything. The Dai were the absolute kings, so the Hani had to move up the mountains, because the suitable living places were occupied by others. The Hani lived a slash-and-burn life, for example, when planting grain, they would burn the mountain and then plant crops. After a few years, when the land lost fertility, they would find a new place and burn again. These tasks were done by men. They would gather together to find suitable land for growing grain, which might be on the other side of the mountain, requiring several days of walking. These men would not return until the grain was harvested. The women stayed in the village, taking care of the children and cooking. When the men returned, the household chores were still done by the women; the men just took care of the children. For example, hunting was also done in groups. Those with men counted as labor, and those without could contribute a dog. After the hunt, the prey was divided according to contribution; of course, the dog got a smaller share.

2. The Blang People, Ancient Tea Growers

Academia generally recognizes that the Blang people are one of the earliest tea-growing ethnic groups in Yunnan, and some say they were the first to grow and drink tea. According to the 'Guangnan County Annals', in the 5th century BC, tribes mainly composed of Liao and Pu formed the Jutong Kingdom, which was rich in tea. The Blang people also practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, like the Hani, but they also mainly planted tea. They would find suitable mountain land near the village, burn the land, sow tea seeds, and tea would grow. As the land around the village became less suitable for growing grain, they needed to move to new places closer to grain-growing land, abandoning the tea trees of the previous village and planting new tea trees near the new village. Thus, patches of ancient tea trees appeared in the mountains. This is also the reason why in the past decade or so, new plots like Mintang have been continuously discovered in deep forests such as state-owned forests.

3. The De'ang People, Who Cannot Do Without Tea

I came into contact with the De'ang people in Dehong. I believe the De'ang should be a branch of the Blang people, as they have too many similarities. Of course, I am not an expert in this field, so I won't say much. The life of the De'ang people is inseparable from tea. Customs such as 'birth tea', 'adult tea', 'gathering tea', 'social tea', 'love tea', and 'engagement tea' almost always accompany the life journey of every De'ang person. The De'ang also plant tea trees around the village, in front of and behind their houses. When the village moves, they plant tea in the new village. During our investigations in Dehong, we found that many ancient tea gardens in villages, including those of the Dai, Jingpo, Achang, and Lisu peoples, were very likely planted by the De'ang people before.

4. Tea Customs of Ethnic Minorities

In the tea mountains of Menghai, local tea farmers like to roast tea before drinking. They roast the tea until it is slightly burnt, then pour boiling water. The taste is good, with a mix of burnt aroma and the tea's fragrance. The most famous roasted tea is in Dali, where the Bai and Yi peoples love roasted tea the most. The special clay pots for roasting tea are mostly made in Dali. Dehong and Baoshan also have tea-drinking habits, but they mostly drink green tea, also baked until slightly burnt, such as Mogo tea and Huilong tea.

This is about drinking tea, but there is also eating tea. Laobanzhang's tea-leaf eggs cost 88 per plate, and everyone who goes there likes to order one. Tea leaves are used to make pickled vegetables, and tea leaves are stir-fried with various dishes; ethnic minorities have always eaten tea leaves. The De'ang sour tea, I believe, evolved from pickled tea leaves.

5. Summary

The ethnic minorities in Yunnan have always planted, drunk, and eaten tea. By understanding the customs of these minorities, we can roughly conclude that most of Yunnan's ancient tree teas were planted by ethnic minorities such as the Blang and De'ang. Later, with tea trade, various ethnic groups, including the Han, began to plant tea. These teas are what we call ancient tree tea today.

II. How Ancient Tree Tea Has Been Preserved.

Have you ever heard of 'head-chopping tea'?

'Head-chopping tea' has a long history. As early as 1953, experiments were first conducted in Nannuo Mountain, Menghai, and later, 50 mu were dwarfed in Manzhen Village. At that time, it was called 'low-yield tea transformation experiment'.

From the name of the experiment, we can see that the purpose of dwarfing ancient tree tea was to increase tea production. Non-dwarfed ancient tea trees mostly have only one to three trunks, continuously growing taller with a small crown, producing limited tea. Moreover, as they age, they gradually become senescent, with reduced sprouting ability, until they eventually stop producing new buds.

At this point, the tea tree is dwarfed by cutting the main trunk at about 20 cm from the ground, which causes three to four or up to a dozen new buds to sprout, growing into new branches, increasing the crown and tea production. The main transformation methods include ring barking, stump cutting, heavy pruning, and light pruning.

What were the effects of the transformation? According to survey data from the Menghai Tea Department, the yield of ancient tree tea before transformation was 12.5 kg per mu, while after transformation, the yield could reach up to 169 kg per mu, an increase of more than tenfold.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the national agriculture, forestry, and trade departments selected eight export base counties in Yunnan, and the demand for tea increased significantly. Thus, starting from Menghai, many ancient tea gardens were subjected to 'head-chopping' transformation. Therefore, the ancient tree tea seen today in many areas of Yiwu and Menghai has new branches that are only about 30 years old.

Speaking of head-chopping tea, we must talk about the ethnic minorities of Yunnan again. Before 2000, the tea from Laobanzhang was large and black, and it was much cheaper than tea from other parts of Bulang Mountain. Many Laobanzhang teas even had to be disguised as teas from other places to be sold. The Han and Dai peoples are particularly diligent and obedient. When the government organized the dwarfing of ancient tea trees, i.e., head-chopping, they implemented it very thoroughly, some even cutting down all trees and planting new ones for higher yields. However, ethnic minorities like the Hani, Lahu, and Blang did not have the concept of diligence. They relied on nature for food and had no concept of saving money. In the mountains of Yunnan, it is said that if you stick a carrying pole in the ground, it will grow into a tree the next year. Resources are abundant, which fostered a laid-back character among these peoples. For example, when the government distributed free fertilizer and saplings, they would sell them cheaply and exchange them for wine to drink at home. It is because of the laziness of these minorities that we have the large-scale ancient tea gardens we see today. This is also the reason why Dai villages rarely have large areas of ancient tea trees.

III. Why Are Ancient Tree Teas So Popular?

Nowadays, many tea enthusiasts refuse to buy or drink anything but ancient tree tea. They demand trees of a certain age, from famous mountains. As a result, the prices of famous mountain teas have soared, and even ancient tree tea from non-famous mountains has exceeded 1,000 yuan per kilogram. Bingdao Old Village tea has risen from around 200 yuan in 2009 to about 80,000 yuan today, a huge increase, and the tea farmers are still proud and may not even sell to you. Why are ancient tree teas so popular? Let me analyze.

1. Low pesticide residues, safe.

Ancient tea trees grow on big mountains and are tree-shaped, with spacing generally exceeding 2 meters. Terrace tea gardens have over 2,000 tea trees per mu, but ancient tea gardens have only a dozen or so per mu, rarely dozens, and some even have just a few trees per mu. Moreover, ancient tea trees are very old. We know that only trees over a hundred years old can be called ancient tree tea. Over the long years, these trees have survived various weather conditions, even fires, so they do not need much human intervention, nor do they need pesticides or fertilizers to thrive. From a food safety perspective, ancient tea trees are safer.

2. Softer and sweeter taste, better charm.

Let's look at the phenol-ammonia ratio data. According to a 2019 paper by experts such as Pu Shaoliu from the Menghai Tea Research Institute, 'Comparative Study on Quality of Famous Mountain Ancient Tree Teas in Different Tea Areas of Yunnan', the phenol-ammonia ratios of ancient tree teas from Menghai, Mengla (ancient six major tea mountains), and Shuangjiang Bingdao tea areas are all around 3-5, as shown below:

In Zhou Hongjie's 'Yunnan Pu'er Tea', p.26, the phenol-ammonia ratio of Yunkang No. 10 is 10.94; in Cheng Qikun's 'Tea Chemistry Analysis', p.42, the phenol-ammonia ratio of Yunnan large-leaf improved varieties, i.e., small tree tea, is 18.30. We know that the higher the phenol-ammonia ratio, the more bitter and astringent the tea tastes; the lower the ratio, the fresher and sweeter the tea. Regarding the taste of ancient tree tea, I have written an article, 'Tea Talk on Paper' No. 15: The Light Tea Life of Yunnan Ancient Tree Tea. Those interested can check it out.

In general, ancient tree tea tastes better.

3. Wild mountain spirit

We humans all came from nature and forests, which carry a familiar and comfortable aura. For example, free-range chicken, no matter how you cook it, even just boiled in water, is very fresh. The chicken from the market is best for spicy chicken; if you make soup with it, you probably can't drink it. Tea from the forest has a similar aura, which I believe is the wild mountain charm. This is why our Houyue slogan is 'Big Tree Tea from the Forest'. A tea garden with good ecology should be in the forest, with good taste, smooth body sensation, and a charming wild mountain aura.

4. A new way of tasting tea under the context of Pu'er tea's 'more fragrant with age'.

When I first entered the industry in 2008, 'more fragrant with age' was the mainstream, and ancient tree tea was rarely mentioned. The market mainly focused on drinking aged tea, and new tea was bought for storage. I have drunk many aged teas, such as 88 Qing, various mark teas, real and fake, from various masters, over a thousand kinds. It is really hard to find one I like. The aged aroma, which is a thin line away from moldy smell, is rarely pure, and most make me very uncomfortable, including many aged teas today. Of course, I didn't understand tea then. It wasn't until 2013 that I began to come into contact with ancient tree tea. That subtle fragrance and sweetness immediately won me over. I realized that besides aged tea and 'more fragrant with age', Pu'er tea could be drunk this way, with such flavors.

The emergence of ancient tree tea has provided a substitute for those who drink high-end green tea. High-end green tea is seasonal and not suitable for excessive drinking, but ancient tree Pu'er is different; you can brew it one infusion after another, drink it over a long period, and different mountains offer different flavors. Coupled with the cultural output of ethnic minorities—the singing and dancing minorities, the generous minority girls, the ancient tea trees deep in the mountains—these are excellent accompaniments to tea. Moreover, ancient tree tea tastes good, has a rich charm, and is safe to drink, making it hard for these tea enthusiasts to put down their cups. These enthusiasts have influenced many more people around them.

5. Expensiveness and the endorsement of enthusiasts.

Every spring tea season, I am in the tea areas, and I also visit Laobanzhang and Bingdao Old Village. Often, I bring friends, and many times there is no place to park. I estimate that there are tens of thousands of visitors every day, all outsiders drawn by reputation. The charm of tea is truly great! These enthusiasts will definitely post on social media when they come to the tea mountains, and after returning, they will likely show off the Laobanzhang or Bingdao tea they bought. Some even gather a few friends for tasting sessions. Word-of-mouth has thus become the main driving force behind the rise of ancient tree Pu'er.

Famous mountain teas taste good, have big reputations, and many buyers, but limited production, so prices keep rising. Expensiveness is another driving force. Have you noticed that being expensive is a huge promotion? For example, I started dealing with Bitcoin in 2012 and recommended it to people around me, but few bought it then. Recently, I've noticed many people buying it. When asked, they say it's because Bitcoin's price reached $30,000, and they started paying attention and buying. Because it's expensive, they know and affirm its value. As a side note, when I did crowdfunding tea in 2015, I liquidated all my Bitcoin, and now I regret it deeply. Most of us probably don't buy LV, unless you're very rich, but we all know LV. Why? Because LV is expensive. When Bingdao tea exceeded 10,000 yuan per kilogram, there was no need for promotion; Bingdao tea would only be in short supply and become more expensive.

Having talked about the good aspects of ancient tree tea, let me now talk about the chaos in ancient tree tea.

IV. Chaos in Ancient Tree Tea

1. Tree age

Regarding tree age, I have written two articles: 'Tea Talk on Paper' No. 2: The Temptation of Tree Age 1, and 'Tea Talk on Paper' No. 9: The Temptation of Tree Age 2. Those interested can check them out.

Ancient tree tea refers to arbor tea that has survived for over a hundred years, but this is difficult to authenticate, so there is a big market for fake tree ages. For example, the Hekai King Tea Tree is Xibao No. 4, meaning it is the fourth protected ancient tea tree in Xishuangbanna. The first time I visited, the introduction said its tree age was over 400 years. Later, it was over 800 years, and now it is over 1,200 years. In less than ten years, this tree has aged 800 years. Ridiculously, the Nannuo Mountain King Tea Tree, which is currently the oldest authenticated ancient tea tree (Bada Nake has died), is officially introduced as only over 800 years old. Of course, this Nannuo Mountain King Tea Tree is not the one that was investigated and authenticated at the time. I have seen that tree; it died once, the main trunk died, and it grew again from the side.

Such king tea trees are openly fake, so what about other tea trees? Those former small tree teas, as long as the tree looks somewhat old, have all been promoted to ancient tree tea.

2. Counterfeit ancient tree tea

That is, what you are shown is ancient tree tea, but what is sold to you is small tree tea; the cotton paper says ancient tree tea, but it is actually terrace tea. This phenomenon is widespread. Look at Taobao and Pinduoduo: Laobanzhang and Bingdao tea at 10 to 20 yuan, many listings, and they sell well.

3. Counterfeit famous mountains

It is said that the cotton paper in the Pu'er tea industry is divided into two categories: half is for Laobanzhang and Bingdao, and the other half is for other teas. But the total production of Laobanzhang and Bingdao combined is only about a hundred tons, negligible compared to the total Pu'er tea production of 200,000 tons. Yet the amount of cotton paper is so large, indicating the madness of counterfeiting ancient tea mountains. As mentioned above, online sales are high, and physical stores are the same. Almost every Pu'er tea shop has Bingdao and Laobanzhang for sale. In Lijiang Old Town, a bundle of Laobanzhang costs only a hundred yuan. When giving Pu'er tea as a gift, it is embarrassing not to give Laobanzhang or Bingdao.

4. Existing famous mountains are trending worse

Before 2012, when I went to Laobanzhang, starting from the Dai village Manhana at the foot of Hekai Mountain, passing through Hekai Manmai, Mannong, Banpen, and then Laobanzhang, the whole way was forest. Now, the whole way is bare mountains and large tea gardens. Taking Laobanzhang as an example, before 2015, the total tea production of Laobanzhang, including small tree tea, was less than 50 tons. Now, according to incomplete statistics, newly planted tea gardens exceed 100,000 mu, and the total production of Laobanzhang has exceeded 500 tons. Forests retreat, tea advances. Without forests, Laobanzhang is trending to taste worse. This is also why I have been selecting plots for my Laobanzhang tea.

Now look at Bingdao; it's the same. Because tea prices are so high, everyone is clearing mountains to plant tea. They can't cut down big trees, so they strip the bark. Production has increased, but what about quality?

Famous mountain teas are trending worse. When we tea makers discuss this, we often worry, but I have good intentions, yet the world is oriented toward money.

V. New Opportunities

The development of everything follows a parabolic curve, whether it's ancient tree tea or famous ancient mountains. Famous mountains like Laobanzhang will remain pearls, but new tea mountains, with undamaged ecology, will become rising stars. Of course, the market will also force famous mountains like Laobanzhang and Bingdao to return to the ecological focus. Recently, isn't Bingdao Old Village being relocated entirely? Returning tea gardens to forests is the general trend.

This is why I went to Dehong. Dehong's forest coverage exceeds 70%, and it is increasing year by year. Many tea gardens in Dehong are semi-abandoned. To pick tea, you have to push through grass and other trees. The tea tastes excellent; one sip brings the wild mountain spirit rushing at you.

We are also looking for more places, such as returning to Yiwu to find tea in the major forests. We are also pleased to see that more and more tea farmers, under government guidance, are paying more attention to ecology. I believe the future of ancient tree tea will be better and better.

VI. Can Upgraded Terrace Tea Gardens Become Good Ancient Tree Tea?

People often ask this question, and my answer is affirmative. I have visited many such tea gardens and made samples. The conclusion is that by thinning terrace tea gardens from over 2,000 trees per mu to dozens, and planting trees in and around the gardens to restore forest conditions, after more than a decade, the quality will improve significantly. If given time, such as decades later, when the micro-ecology is fully restored, the tea garden will be a proper ancient tree tea garden in both form and quality.

VII. What I Consider Good Tea.

On this topic, I have written an article, 'Tea Talk on Paper' No. 14: Ten Indicators of Ancient Tree Ripe Tea. That article is about ancient tree ripe tea, but it actually reflects my overall understanding of ancient tree tea. My tasting is not limited by tea category.

I have been making tea for thirteen years and learning about tea for thirteen years. The tea I consider good is also the tea I drink daily. It has several characteristics, which I share with you.

1. It must be smooth.

That is, when the tea soup enters the body, it should be smooth, like pouring a cup of water into sand, dispersing immediately. This permeability makes people feel particularly comfortable. Drinking tea to relieve stress and expand the chest is probably about smoothness.

The opposite of smoothness is stagnation, commonly seen as stomach bloating, dizziness, and body weakness. Have you ever felt this? Smoothness requires more drinking and more experience.

Smoothness is the first important indicator I consider. If the ecology is not good, I have never tasted smooth tea. If tea is not smooth, no matter how good the taste, it is empty.

2. Complete mouthfeel

I divide the mouthfeel into three segments: the front of the mouth, the middle and back, and the throat. This is easy to understand. Some teas only have sensation at the front of the mouth, with nothing behind. Some good teas have sensation throughout the mouth, and even a cool feeling in the throat, which is what people call 'hou yun' (throat charm). Such teas have better oral completeness.

Another meaning of complete mouthfeel is what I call 'entry, lingering, and residence'. Some teas are okay on entry, but the lingering sensation is astringent, rough, or even numb, making you not want to drink more. After more than ten minutes, the mouth still feels tight, and you feel increasingly thirsty. This is extremely poor residence. Good tea should be good in all three aspects: sweet on entry, good salivation and aftertaste, and on the way back after drinking, the mouth is cool and the throat comfortable, making you want to go back for another cup. That is tea with excellent residence.

Tea with complete mouthfeel means the oral sensation is complete and the three aspects are complete.

3. Soup texture and aroma

I like tea soup that is round and smooth, not necessarily fine, but without a prickly feeling. The tea soup should be smooth, have thickness, and a long aftertaste.

The temperature of the tea soup does not refer to water temperature, but the feeling the tea soup gives us. It is hard to drink hot water in large sips because it burns, but tea can be different. The temperature that the tea soup brings us matters. Good tea tends to be cooler, so you can drink it while hot. At the same temperature, some teas feel hotter than plain water, and I consider such teas bad.

The aroma of tea should be subtle and contained in the water. Aroma also has temperature. Hot-aroma teas, like poor baked black tea, are too pungent and direct; I don't like them. Cool tea aromas, like the best Mintang or Yibang ancient tree tea, are subtle and cool, like orchid or gardenia, intoxicating.

4. Strong wild mountain spirit

The wild mountain spirit can be sensed and also described. Let's talk about free-range chicken again. It is easy to distinguish from market chicken. If tested, I believe many indicators of free-range chicken and market chicken are similar. The difference lies in this spirit, this completely different feeling. This spirit in tea is the wild mountain spirit. When you taste the flavor of nature in the tea soup, tea with a strong wild mountain spirit, when drunk, makes the mouth feel pleasant and the body relaxed, as if there is something in the tea soup that is particularly captivating. This feeling is the wild mountain spirit, which is addictive, making us drink cup after cup, feeling more comfortable with each cup.

Tea with a good wild mountain spirit often brings good visual imagery.

5. Visual imagery

Visual imagery is easy to understand. Some people, when they see a girl, feel the sensation of falling in love and start imagining dating, marriage, and children. That is visual imagery.

Regarding tea's visual imagery, it is the subconscious feeling that tea drinking brings. The most common thing I hear is tasting the flavor of the sun. This is a kind of charm. Tea has charm; the charm makes the body feel pleasant, and the body may present a picture. Personally, I think visual imagery is the highest state of tea-drinking comfort. Some people have bad visual imagery with poor tea.

When I drink tea from the forest, I often feel like I am walking in the forest, with tall trees overhead, birds and insects in my ears, and moist soil with wild grass underfoot. I have compared SGS test results, and teas that give this feeling have very good data. I used to share these feelings with colleagues, and many said I was bragging or a charlatan. Now I rarely say these things; I just quietly drink tea, make tea, and sell tea.

VIII. Finally, I pose a question: Is small tree tea good?

I have done some comparative experiments. In the same area, ancient trees are indeed better than small trees. But in different areas, small trees in the forest are much better than ancient trees in cornfields or around houses.

Houyue tea is divided into three levels: the highest is 'Pin Cang' (tasting and storage), the middle is 'Pin Jian' (tasting and evaluation), and the entry-level is 'Pin Yi' (tasting and discussion). Our crowdfunding teas are mostly at this level. There are now thirteen crowdfunding teas, and ten are at the drinking level, all blended with large and small trees. We also disclose this information in the product descriptions. Drinking-level ancient tree tea means it reaches the quality of ancient tree tea, but it may not be pure ancient tree material. This is my respect for small tree tea and Houyue's recognition of ecology.

I prefer small trees with good ecology over ancient trees with poor ecology!

The greatest charm of Yunnan ancient tree tea is not the age of the trees, but that most of these ancient trees grow in the mountains, in the forests, and have good ecology.

IX. Summary

Drinking ancient tree tea is drinking ecology. Only with good ecology can there be good tea. Yunnan has over 6 million mu of tea gardens, many of which are undergoing ecological upgrades. Most of these are not good tea now, but in the near future, with forest coverage and ecological improvement, they will all become good tea.