Cultural Inheritors: Descendants who care for the old tea trees

In this second edition of our "Cultural Inheritors" series, The Vibe's Qi Jie takes you on a journey to southwest China's Yunnan Province, famous for its Pu'er tea.

Kunlu Mountain is home to several ethnic groups including the Yi, Hani, Dai and Bulang. Kunlu is a Dai word that literally means "a paradise for birds and plants." There are over 10,000 mu, or about 667 hectares, of ancient tea trees on Kunlu Mountain. These gifts of nature, as the locals call them, serve as a local pillar industry. It's also a measure of how the people who have lived there for generations have cared for the environment.

Li Mingze's family started making Pu'er "tribute tea" for royal families around 300 years ago, during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). As one of the ninth generation of tea makers, 34-year-old Li said the selection of the raw materials plays a key role in making a good cup of tea.

The next step is the process of "killing green" to prevent oxidation. It's one of the stages in turning fresh leaves into "maocha," or rough tea. So, why can't this step be mechanized in the 21st century? "Our tea makers consider every aspect, including the climate at that time of the year, the picking time, dehydration and the temperature of the wok before they 'kill green' by hand. As for our 'tribute tea,' the process of killing green determines the quality of the tea. And it's an ever-changing process," Li said.

When "killing green" is done, next comes the fermentation process called "shou cha," or ripe tea, and then directly packaged raw tea, known as "sheng cha." Both ripe and raw Pu'er can be pressed into cakes, bricks or balls and aged like wine. Still confused?

"Ripe tea, in general, helps cut greasiness, which is good for digestion. 'Shengpu' also contains more vitamins, catechins and caffeine, too. So it's better to have some raw Pu'er before starting to work in the afternoon. It helps refresh our minds," the young tea maker explains.

In 2008, the family's "tribute tea" craftsmanship was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. In 2014, Li Mingze gave up his practice as a dentist to join the family business. His father Li Xingchang has been planting and making "tribute tea" for 40 years. "Under the circumstances, like other people of his age, it has not been easy for him to have come this far. I think he's malleable because he's driven by the market economy, and many young people are not able to concentrate on doing things." The master said he's satisfied with his son's progress.

And speaking of the market economy, entrepreneurs place a premium on building up their corporate brands to drive consumer demand. As the owner of the Pu'er Tributary Tea Factory, the elder Li views adaptability as reinvention.

There is a saying that goes, "In business, the consumer is god." In history, royal families were the exclusive consumers of "tribute tea." It traveled via the ancient tea routes. It took the horses two months to get from the mountains to the capital. This section is known as Nakeli, a village in Ning'er County and the hometown of the Li family. Heading southeast, the routes stretched for around 500 kilometers, covering the six major mountains that produce Pu'er tea. They pass through Yunnan Province into Xizang Autonomous Region and finally reach Southeast Asia. Today, by air or by express train, it takes about two days for customers throughout the country to get their Pu'er tea.

In the mountainous areas 80 kilometers or so from downtown Pu'er City, you can see vast tea plantations everywhere. Li Mingze was making the rounds in the family field, examining the leaves and smelling their aroma. Tea tournaments like this have become routine. Since 2012, the master worked with vocational schools to establish tea-making training centers. So far, more than 10,000 enthusiasts have taken his classes. Those who go into the business often bring their products to show and discuss with their teacher. The younger Li is his most devoted student. "Honestly speaking, tea making is what I will do for the rest of my life," Mingze said.

Generations of his family have been planting and making Pu'er "tribute tea," once produced for the exclusive use of royal families during the Qing Dynasty around 300 years ago. Sharing his experience with students on campus at Pu'er University, or visiting his artist friend in Pu'er City, about 40 kilometers from Ning'er County, Li Mingze said, for him, it's like a window to understanding the outside world.

He Kun is one of the pioneers of reduction woodblock printing in China. His works have won many awards at home and abroad. In 1995, the British Museum acquired a collection of his woodcuts titled "Song of Autumn·White Land." In a career spanning more than 40 years, He Kun spent two-thirds of his time in Beijing and the UK before returning to his hometown of Pu'er in 2005. Every day, wherever he is, the artist has Pu'er tea – and Pu'er tea only.

"The themes of my paintings are about integrating human life with nature. People's living habits also need to be down to earth. When it comes to Pu'er tea, I prefer the authentic flavor. In fact, art and life are connected. You know, especially young people, if you're in the tea business you have to care about the market. It isn't viable that you plant tea and sell it in your own village just for your own enjoyment. This beautiful tea culture is what our ancestors left to us, and you're supposed to share it with people and the world."

There's an old Chinese saying, "ancestors plant the trees and descendants enjoy the shade." Here in Pu'er, the legacy is more than simply shade. The artist paints the lush plantations and tea makers turn the leaves into a treasured beverage. And the inheritor works to make a good cup of his "tribute tea" available across the globe.