At 1,400 meters above sea level, on Yunnan's Jingmai Mountain, over 3 million ancient tea trees thrive in primeval forests. For nearly 2,000 years, forest and villages have been growing side by side. The Blang people, guardians of ancient tea forests, have developed a culture centered around "roasted tea." The practice, passed down over generations, involves hand-roasting the leaves in a fire pit and sipping on the brew in the shadow of the forest. More than a tea preparation method, it is a ritual that keeps the spirit of the tea trees alive and in turn animates an entire culture.