Farmers sun-dry spring tea leaves on Jingmai Mountain in SW China's Yunnan

A farmer sun-dries spring tea leaves in flat bamboo baskets on Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Lancang Lahu Autonomous County Committee)

Flat bamboo baskets filled with freshly picked spring tea leaves line the rooftops on Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province, a tradition reflecting the accumulated wisdom of communities that have lived alongside tea forests for over 1,000 years.

Villager Xian Gong and her family work together with careful, unhurried attention, spreading tender tea leaves evenly across the flat bamboo baskets. The rooftops provide ideal conditions: abundant sunlight and natural airflow. The gap between the bamboo baskets and clay tiles prevents moisture buildup, enabling each leaf to dry slowly and evenly.

The "Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er" was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in September 2023, making it the world's first tea-themed World Heritage Site.

Preliminary figures show that the total tea-growing area on Jingmai Mountain now exceeds 114,800 mu (7,653 hectares), including 28,000 mu of ancient tea forests and 86,600 mu of ecological and modern tea gardens.

Spring tea output this year is projected to reach 3,947 tonnes, including 511 tonnes from ancient trees, with an estimated value of 397 million yuan ($57.89 million).

Behind these figures lies not only a thriving tea industry but also the enduring vitality of a centuries-old tea culture.

Spring tea leaves are sun-dried in flat bamboo baskets on Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Lancang Lahu Autonomous County Committee)

Aerial photo shows Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Lancang Lahu Autonomous County Committee)

Farmers sun-dry spring tea leaves in flat bamboo baskets on Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Lancang Lahu Autonomous County Committee)

A farmer sun-dries spring tea leaves in flat bamboo baskets on Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Lancang Lahu Autonomous County Committee)

Photo shows spring tea leaves from Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Lancang Lahu Autonomous County Committee)

Spring tea leaves are sun-dried in flat bamboo baskets on Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Lancang Lahu Autonomous County Committee)