Ecological balance
Unlike uniform commercial plantations, Jingmai's 1,180 hectares of ancient tea forests rely on a multitiered canopy system developed by the ancestors of the Blang and Dai peoples between the 10th and 14th centuries. In spots like Dapingzhang, tall trees provide shade and moisture, tea plants grow below, and fallen leaves protect the soil in a landscape that looks far more like a natural forest than a farm.
"We don't use pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Spiders control pests, and fallen leaves serve as fertilizer," said Yan Sailuan, Party secretary of Jingmai village.
Ethnic communities, such as the Dai, Blang and Hani, have lived peacefully in communities on the mountain for centuries, sharing the tea forests, farming work and harvests. Today, 15 traditional settlements are home to 6,500 residents. They built villages near the forests and passed down ways to harvest without clearing the trees. Neighbors also exchanged skills, helped during hard seasons and gathered for rituals.
"The tea forests belong to all of us, and the mountains and rivers don't distinguish between ethnic groups," said Li Ping, deputy head of Huimin township. "Protecting this mountain means protecting our shared home."
Local regulations governing the cultural landscape took effect in January 2023, establishing 166 mutual-aid groups that help patrol the forests alongside farmer cooperatives. Officials emphasize that environmental protection relies heavily on the region's historical harmony across different groups.
That cooperation has extended to business. Blang grower Yan San and Dai entrepreneur Yu Ying met at a tourism promotion event, then opened a business combining Blang roasted tea and Dai flower tea. In Wengji village, community leader Zhang Guangming helped establish a cooperative that accepts members regardless of their ethnicity or village. At village markets, Dai sticky rice, Blang sour tea and Hani cured meat are displayed side by side.
Growers once relied on traders who made the journey up the mountain. Cooperatives and tourism now offer more direct routes to buyers.
