Jibian Alpine Oolong Tea Plantation in Tengchong County, Baoshan
Chinese Name:腾冲县极边高山乌龙茶特色农业庄园
English Name: Jibian Alpine Oolong Tea Plantation in Tengchong County, Baoshan
Tengchong City
Located in the southwestern part of Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, and bordering Myanmar to the west, Tengchong is the only region in mainland China where volcanic and geothermal activity coexist. During the Ming Dynasty, a stone city was built here, earning it the title of “First City on the Extreme Edge.” The Tengchong Jibian Alpine Oolong Tea Scenic Area, situated in Xinghua Village, Mazhan Township, Tengchong City, was rated as a national “AAA” scenic spot in 2015. The area is 14 kilometers from Tengchong City and adjacent to a national volcanic geological scenic area. It features over 3,500 acres of tea gardens, including “Camellia Red Flower Tea Garden,” “Cherry Blossom Tea Garden,” “Winter Melon Tea Garden,” and “Ginkgo Tree Tea Garden,” all with three-dimensional planting. Visitors can experience the entire production process of Extreme Edge Oolong Tea up close, learn about the basic knowledge of Oolong tea and the development history of Tengchong high mountain Oolong tea, taste Tengchong Extreme Edge high mountain Oolong tea, and enjoy the seasonal beauty of the tea gardens. Additionally, visitors can experience a new level of sensation from fingertip to heart, with a comprehensive experience from touch to taste.
Tengchong Jibian Alpine Oolong Tea Scenic Area
Cherry Blossom Tea Garden
In early spring, the tea garden feels slightly chilly, and under the veil of thin mist, the entire garden appears mysterious. As the mist moves, the garden gradually reveals its secrets. Among the tender green tea trees, spots of pale red emerge. When the breeze blows, these pale reds sway and blend with the dissipating mist, creating a fairy-tale-like scene. These delicate reds are the petals of cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossoms are famous ornamental trees that bloom in early spring, transitioning from white and pale pink to deep red as the season progresses. Each blossom typically has three to five flowers arranged in umbels or racemes, with horizontal sepals and petals having notches at the tips. The flowers are white or pale pink. Cherry blossoms often burst into full bloom overnight, creating a stunning and beautiful display. During the blooming season, the trees are covered in vibrant blossoms, resembling clouds or rosy clouds. Cherry trees are planted in tea gardens for two reasons: to enhance the shading effect of the tea garden and to increase its ornamental value. The soft pink of the cherry blossoms contrasts beautifully with the green tea leaves, creating a picturesque early spring scene.
Red Camellia Oil Tea Garden
As the hometown of Yunnan’s camellia flowers, Tengchong’s mountainous areas are renowned for their vibrant spring colors dominated by red camellia. The Red Camellia Oil Tea Garden in the Oolong tea plantation is essentially a natural camellia garden. These trees, well-adapted to the mountain environment and enduring harsh weather, exhibit remarkable vitality and grandeur. During the peak blooming season of early spring, thousands of trees burst into red blooms, creating a breathtaking floral spectacle reminiscent of clouds or fireworks, radiating a pure and rugged beauty.
The red camellia, unique to Yunnan, has both economic and ornamental value. Beyond its striking red hues, the fruit of the camellia, resembling green jade bells, is also highly valued. The oil extracted from these fruits is aromatic and nutritious, serving both as a premium natural supplement and an industrial oil. Red camellia oil is known for its numerous health benefits, including liver and digestive health, weight management, anti-aging properties, enhanced cognitive and retinal functions, and prevention of various diseases. Additionally, Tengchong red camellia oil is rich in Vitamin E and essential trace elements like potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc, making it a valuable asset.
Winter Melon Tree Garden
The tea garden also features winter melon trees, also known as alder trees or swamp alders, which belong to the birch family. These trees can reach up to 40 meters in height and have a trunk diameter of up to 150 cm. They are a native species to China. Due to Tengchong’s unique volcanic ash soil, which provides rich mineral nutrients but also poses challenges for agriculture, the winter melon trees serve as protectors of the tea garden. Their strong water and soil retention abilities help prevent soil erosion, and their tall presence provides shelter from the wind, while their dense canopy shields the tea plants from heavy rainfall, preserving the fertile soil.
Ginkgo Tree Garden
In early winter mornings, sunlight filters through the gaps in the ginkgo tree leaves, casting beautiful light and shadow patterns over the tea garden, which is enveloped in a golden hue. As the breeze blows, yellow leaves swirl in the air, covering tea branches, paths, and crevices, creating a picturesque scene. Ancient ginkgo trees sway gracefully in the wind, their elegant movements reminiscent of dancers.
Ginkgo trees, also known as maidenhair trees, are deciduous and bear fan-shaped leaves that are arranged alternately on long branches and clustered on short branches. The ginkgo tree is a living fossil and a national protected plant. Its leaves can be used to extract ketones, while the seeds, rich in amino acids, can be used in soups. In Tengchong, the ginkgo’s late autumn color provides a stunning visual, with the golden leaves contrasting beautifully with the green tea garden.
Architectural Features
The Jibian Alpine Oolong Tea Scenic Area features classical Tengchong architecture, predominantly made from solid wood. The buildings reflect a dignified and elegant style that combines the refined aesthetics of Jiangnan water towns with the distinctive characteristics of the borderlands. The area is surrounded by rockeries and lush vegetation. Due to its high elevation in Mazhan Township, visitors might be lucky enough to experience snow in winter. When snowflakes gently fall, the tea fields take on a serene, pristine beauty, contrasting sharply with the fiery red of nearby maple leaves. The scenery at this time is a striking interplay of red and white, creating a tranquil and almost timeless atmosphere. The scenic area’s stone features, made from local volcanic rock, harmonize with the traditional residential architecture, creating a unique cultural landscape.
Best Time to Visit
The optimal time to visit the scenic area is from March to June. During this period, visitors can enjoy the peach blossoms of early spring, view the canola flower sea in the tea gardens, and participate in tea picking activities. This time frame offers a delightful combination of natural beauty and hands-on tea experiences, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the visit.
Tea Picking Experience
The phrase “one tea, one world” refers to the profound essence of tea. Tea picking is not just a laborious task but also a rewarding experience that allows visitors to connect with the essence of tea cultivation. Picking tea leaves by hand provides a deeper appreciation for the hard work of tea farmers and a unique way to relieve stress and enjoy the simple pleasures of nature. This interactive experience offers tourists the chance to learn about tea cultivation while enjoying the fresh tea and making new friends. It’s an ideal activity for city dwellers looking to spend their weekends in a relaxing and immersive environment.
Processing Experience
The process of making Oolong tea is akin to experiencing the journey of life. Visitors can observe the entire process of tea production through glass windows, from picking and withering to roasting and shaping. Key steps include: withering, turning, rolling, firing, and drying. Each stage is essential in developing the unique flavor and aroma of Oolong tea. In the processing area, the subtle fragrance of fresh tea leaves and the sight of leaves being handled by skilled tea makers create a soothing and immersive experience, providing visitors with a sense of relaxation and connection to the tea-making tradition.
Tea Art Experience
In the tea art experience center, visitors can witness the skillful art of tea preparation. Tea masters perform intricate tea ceremonies, demonstrating various brewing techniques and serving a golden, aromatic brew. Guests will learn about different brewing methods for various types of tea ware and leaves, enhancing their knowledge of tea preparation. This experience not only increases visitors’ understanding of tea art but also adds a new dimension to their leisure activities.
The tea art area also serves as a point of sale for tea, blending tea-making, selling, and drinking into a cohesive experience. It features three main sections:
- Professional tea masters provide exceptional tasting experiences.
- A product display area offers a selection of premium teas, including Qingxin, Xueyu, Qingjing, Jin Oolong, and high mountain teas.
- A video presentation on the development and branding of Jibian tea, ensuring that visitors can purchase quality products with confidence.
Oolong Tea Museum
Oolong Tea Museum
The Oolong Tea Museum is located within the scenic area. Upon entering the museum, the first thing you see is a wall inscribed with the words “The Story of a Leaf from the Extreme Edge.” Beneath these words is a vibrant green tea bud, exuding a natural freshness and vitality. The floor, illuminated by light, displays a world map, symbolizing the global journey of high-mountain oolong tea. Here, you will learn about “The Extreme Edge – The Story of a Leaf,” gain insights into the tea culture of Tengchong, the development history of Extreme Edge oolong tea, and obtain a detailed understanding of oolong tea processing techniques, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the uniqueness of Extreme Edge oolong tea.
Craftsmanship Learning
Oolong tea is a high-quality tea produced through various processes including picking, withering, cooling, tossing, and roasting.
- Picking: The initial step involves harvesting oolong tea leaves. High-quality picking is crucial for producing superior oolong tea.
- Withering: The leaves are exposed to sunlight to allow some moisture to evaporate.
- Cooling: The leaves are left to rest, promoting even loss of moisture and allowing changes and transformations in the tea’s components and aroma, which is a key step in developing the oolong tea’s flavor.
- Tossing: The leaves are tossed to remove any unwanted odors and achieve the characteristic “green leaf with red edges” appearance.
- Roasting: Also known as “kill green,” this process involves high-temperature roasting to halt further changes in the tea leaves and fix the quality established in earlier steps, ensuring the tea’s flavor and optimal state.
Oolong tea cleverly combines the methods of green tea and black tea, integrating the strengths of both. Thus, it is also known as blue tea or semi-fermented tea, and stands out as a distinct category among China’s major tea types. Oolong tea evolved from the Song Dynasty tribute tea, Dragon Pearls, and Phoenix Cakes, and was officially created around 1725 during the Qing Dynasty (Yongzheng period).
Tea Mountain Tour
The Tengchong High-Mountain Oolong Tea Scenic Area, founded by Yunnan Tengchong Extreme Edge Tea Co., Ltd., features ecological tea gardens in the areas of Mingguang Town and Wuhe Township within the Gaoligong Mountain region.
- Qingjing Mountain Tea Garden: Located on Qingjing Mountain in Mingguang Town, known as the southwestern border town of the Extreme Edge. It is 4 kilometers from the China-Myanmar border, at an altitude of 2,500 meters, with over 80% forest coverage and annual snowfall, making it one of the few high-altitude snow tea gardens in the world.
- Wuhe Township Tea Garden: Situated in the forested area of Gaoligong Mountain, adjacent to the Gaoligong Mountain Nature Reserve, at an average altitude of 2,100 meters. It is known for its “fairy-like” high-mountain tea experience.
Visitors can choose different scenic spots based on their location and explore their tea tour in various ways.
