Youle Tea Mountain in Jinghong County, XishuangBanna

Chinese Name: 攸乐山茶区/基诺山茶区
English Name: Youle Tea Mountain or Jinuo Tea Mountain in Jinghong County, XishuangBanna
ADD:双版纳州景洪市基诺乡境内

Overview

Youle Mountain, now known as Jinuo Mountain, has always been regarded as the premier of the six ancient tea mountains. It is located in Jinuo Township, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, across the Biyuan River (Xiaoheijang) from Gedeng Tea Mountain, Mangzhi Tea Mountain, and Kongming Mountain. Jinuo Mountain stretches 75 kilometers from east to west and is 50 kilometers wide from north to south, with an elevation ranging from 575 to 1,691 meters, an average temperature of 18-20°C, and an average annual rainfall of 1,400 millimeters. The soil is primarily acidic red soil, making it suitable for tea cultivation.

Tea Mountain Information

Youle Mountain, now called Jinuo Mountain, covers an area of over 1,000 square kilometers. “Jinuo Mountain reaches high into the sky, with vast seas of clouds stretching endlessly. The clouds and mist nourish Pu’er tea, making the tea mountain renowned far and wide…” Historical records show that during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, the government established a tea tax collection office on Youle Mountain, indicating that tea production there was already substantial over 200 years ago. Today, villages like Yanuo, Xituo, and Luote in Jinuo Township still preserve over 7,000 acres of ancient tea gardens, making it the largest among the six ancient tea mountains. The ancient tea trees in the tea gardens of Jinuo Village have trunks thicker than a bowl and are over a hundred years old.

Historical Context of Youle Mountain

Youle Mountain is the settlement area of the Jinuo ethnic group, who were historically known as Youle people. Over a thousand years ago, the Youle people began cultivating tea along the banks of the Biyuan River (Xiaoheijang). By the early Ming Dynasty, there were at least 4,000 acres of tea gardens on Youle Mountain, with more than 2,000 acres of ancient tea trees remaining today in Longpa and Balai villages, most of which have a circumference exceeding 100 centimeters. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, Han merchants had begun trading tea in Youle Mountain.

Youle Mountain is very close to the Lancang River, with the Chali Xuanwei Office on the opposite bank, and descending along the river leads to various Southeast Asian countries. The Qing government aimed to consolidate the border, control the Chali region, and promote tea production. They planned to establish Zitong on Youle Mountain as an important town in southern Yunnan. In the seventh year of Yongzheng (1729), when the Puer Prefecture was established, the Qing government built Youle City in Zitong, appointing a district chief and a garrison of 500 troops, as well as establishing a salt tax office. They also stipulated that the Chali Xuanwei Office (west of the Lancang River) had to pay silver and grain taxes to the Youle district chief, granting significant authority to the district chief.

When the district chief was established, the area under his jurisdiction was quite extensive. According to the Yunnan Tongzhi, the district chief’s jurisdiction extended “755 li to the east to the border of the Nanzhang Kingdom (Laos), 600 li to the west to the Menglian border, 95 li to the south to the Chali (Jinghong) border, and 442 li to the north to the Simao border,” nearing the level of a prefecture today. However, the establishment of the Youle district chief faced resistance and opposition from the upper echelons of the Dai ethnic group. Continuous uprisings occurred in the Youle Mountain area, coupled with endemic diseases, making it impossible for officials and soldiers to remain. By the thirteenth year of Yongzheng (1735), the Qing government had no choice but to relocate the district chief to Simao.

The abolition of the Youle district chief led the Qing government to change some of its plans regarding the administration of Xishuangbanna, and the six ancient tea mountains never became a separate county-level administrative unit during the Qing Dynasty. After the abolition of the Youle district chief, the tribute tea from Youle Mountain was managed by the Yibang local captain.

During the more than 200 years of the Qing Dynasty, there were no tea shops on Youle Mountain, and the Youle people did not produce seven-son cake tea, but they did make bamboo tube tea and tea paste. The tea paste made by the Youle people was dark and glossy, and could be used to treat internal ailments like dysentery, indigestion, colds, and coughs, while it could also reduce swelling and pus when applied externally.

Modern Development

In the Qing Dynasty, Youle Mountain had over ten thousand acres of tea gardens, and many villages in the area produced tea. Some of the tea from Youle Mountain was bought by merchants from Simao and Puer, while others were purchased by tea merchants from Yibang and Yiwu for making seven-son cakes. By the Daoguang era, Youle Mountain tea was already being sold to India and Europe. In 1886, British author Clark mentioned in his book Guizhou Province and Yunnan Province that the East India Company managed Chinese tea in Darjeeling and Calcutta, which included tea from Yibang and Youle.

The social development of Youle Mountain was slow, with people still practicing slash-and-burn agriculture, growing crops like corn. Agricultural technology was underdeveloped, and hunting and selling tea remained the primary sources of income, resulting in a low overall standard of living. The outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan caused a decline in the tea industry of the six ancient tea mountains, and the Youle people, whose main source of income was tea, faced worsening poverty. By 1941, military conscription and heavy taxes had become unbearable for the impoverished Youle people, and social and ethnic tensions had intensified to a breaking point. During this time, a tea merchant named Yang Anyuan disrespected the customs of the Youle people while collecting tea, which angered them and led to conflicts. In December 1941, the Youle people contacted other ethnic minorities like the Yao and Hani to launch an uprising against oppression. The conflict spread to areas like Manlin, Niuguntang, Yanglin, Jiangxiwan, and Yibang. The Kuomintang military was unable to control the situation, and it was only after the governor of Yunnan Province, Long Yun, intervened that the uprising was quelled. Two years of warfare severely damaged the economy and society of Youle Mountain, leading to a decline in population and abandonment of many tea gardens. Additionally, continuous land clearing for grain crops destroyed a significant portion of the tea gardens. However, by the 1970s, about 3,000 acres of ancient tea gardens remained intact.

Ancient Tea Gardens of Youle Mountain

The ancient tea gardens of Youle are primarily centered around Yanuo Village and spread outward, with the most concentrated area around Longpa Mountain. Other areas with ancient tea trees include Situ Lao Zhai, Meizhu, and Bapiao. The ancient tea gardens are situated at an altitude of 1,200 to 1,500 meters, covering approximately 3,000 acres, many of which consist of centuries-old tea trees. The predominant variety is the large-leaf type, with a few smaller-leaf varieties mixed in. Historically, Youle Mountain did not produce pressed tea, and the raw green tea leaves were mainly provided to Yibang, Yiwu, Jinghong, and other areas for processing. The famous “Yikai Xing” tea bricks were reportedly made from Youle tea.

The Jinuo ethnic group on Youle Mountain has a long history of tea production. They still retain the unique craft of making fire-roasted tea: fresh tea leaves are wrapped in leaves from a plant called “winter leaves” and roasted over hot coals. When the outer “winter leaves” dry out, the tea inside can be brewed immediately for drinking or kneaded and dried for later use.

Characteristics of Youle Old Tree Tea

Youle Mountain tea belongs to the large-leaf type and is characterized by a strong bitterness, quick sweetness, good astringency, average aroma, and a pale orange-yellow color. The tea leaves are glossy and more tightly rolled than those from Yiwu, with a stronger bitterness but a good aftertaste and a smooth, thick liquor, showcasing the essence of the mountains. The aroma and flavor of Youle ancient tea are similar to that of Mansa and Yiwu, with a high fragrance, a gentle taste, and a higher degree of bitterness on the tongue. Due to the relatively young age of the tea trees, the tea is more potent. Additionally, two types of buds have been found; in the ancient tea gardens of Jinuo, a mid-leaf type slightly smaller than the large-leaf variety has also been discovered.