A view of Jingmai Mountain at dawn, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
The old tea forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
A man of the Blang ethnic group pours roasted tea for his guests, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
Charcoal and tea leaves are placed together in a gourd ladle, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
The tea leaves are placed into a clay pot to boil, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
A man of the Blang ethnic group blows air into the fire with a bamboo tube to keep it burning strong for tea preparation, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
A man of the Blang ethnic group holds a bowl of tea, ready to drink, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
Jingmai Mountain stands shrouded in thick fog, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
Jingmai Mountain rises above a sea of clouds, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CGTN
The Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er City, located in southwest China's Yunnan Province, is the world's first tea culture World Heritage Site. For the Blang people, an ethnic group native to the region, tea is prepared in a unique traditional way known as "roasted tea." Charcoal and tea leaves are placed together in a gourd ladle and stirred. The charcoal is then removed, and the leaves are transferred into a clay pot to boil. This process not only imparts a unique flavor and aroma, but is also believed to bring out the health benefits of tea. Roasted tea also carries cultural significance, the first cup is always offered to the Blang people's tea ancestor, Pa Aileng, in gratitude for passing down the legacy of cultivating tea trees to future generations.