Kuzhushan Tea Mountain in Jinggu County, Puer
Chinese Name: 景谷苦竹山普洱茶
English Name: Kuzhushan Tea Mountain in JInggu County, Puer
ADD:普洱市景谷县景谷乡苦竹山
Overview
Jinggu is a place with a long history of tea cultivation. The tea from Kuzhushan is the flagship tea of Jinggu. In Jinggu, whenever Kuzhushan tea is mentioned, the local people’s first reaction is that it is expensive, similar to the status of Lao Banzhang tea in Menghai. Two years ago, Kuzhushan’s price surge was also astonishing. However, compared to Menghai tea, it is still not that expensive. This is the value of Kuzhushan tea. It is currently one of the best value teas among famous Pu’er teas.
Geographic Location
Kuzhushan is located in the mountainous area of Jinggu County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, about 12 kilometers from the township. Strictly speaking, Kuzhushan belongs to a tea mountain in Wenshan Village, Xiaojinggu. It is situated 12 kilometers northeast of the township government, at a latitude of 23°23′ N and a longitude of 100°40′ E, with an altitude of about 1,940 meters. The climate is mild throughout the year, with abundant rainfall and an average annual temperature of 17.5°C. It is one of the famous original producing areas of Pu’er tea in Yunnan. The existing area of cultivated ancient tea gardens is about 1,500 acres, with tea trees planted in clusters, growing well, making it one of the highest quality ancient tea gardens in the Xiaojinggu tea area.
Tea Garden Information
Historical records indicate that as early as the Xianfeng period, the people of Jinggu Town (now Jinggu Township) were cultivating tea for self-consumption in Kuzhushan, Malushan, and other areas. Today, the existing area of cultivated ancient tea gardens in Kuzhushan is about 1,500 acres, scattered among mixed forests along the valleys. Historically, tea farmers have continuously harvested, processed, and sold the tea. Kuzhushan is one of the original producing areas of famous ancient Pu’er tea. Most of the existing cultivated ancient tea trees have a diameter of about the size of a bowl, with the largest tree having a diameter of about 0.5 meters, a height of 4.4 meters, and an age of over 160 years.
Tea Characteristics
The characteristics of Kuzhushan tea include: fat buds, long strips, fuzzy hairs, sweetness in the liquor, a slightly stronger bitterness, weaker astringency, good aftertaste, a strong wild mountain aroma, and a rich liquor quality. Although Kuzhushan tea has the fragrance of Jingmai, it is not as strong as Jingmai; it has the tea flavor of Bulang but is not as intense. This can be seen as a weakness, but it can also be viewed as a strength, as it combines the advantages of these two teas.
Tips for Visiting Kuzhushan
- Location: Kuzhushan ancient tea garden is located 12 kilometers northeast of the Xiaojinggu government.
- Transportation: The road is unpaved and narrow; a four-wheel-drive vehicle is needed to access the mountain.
- Tour Duration: No entrance fee; the entire visit takes about 4 hours.
- Local Specialties: Tea leaves, sweet bamboo shoots, and grilled fish.
- Nearby Attractions: Dashi Temple.
- Urban Attractions: Ji Xiangting Tomb.
- Accommodations: Hostels and guesthouses.
