Returning home
Xianjin, who returned to her mountain home in 2019 after studying tea craft in Kunming and Shenzhen, grew up watching her father pick and process leaves. The family often had to seek out buyers for its tea. Now, her short videos and livestreams reach customers far beyond the mountain. Her Pu'er tea ice cream, developed with her husband, can sell as many as 680 servings on a busy day.
In Nuogan village, Yan Gongwang has returned to develop a family guesthouse. It retains the traditional Dai stilt-house design, with a roof ornament resembling a tea bud and two leaves. Guests can stay, drink tea and learn about the local culture.
Yan said he added more than 3,000 contacts on WeChat during his first year back home. With many visitors becoming regular tea customers, his family's income has more than doubled.
In Wengji, a Blang village, Kang Weifang captured a less glamorous gap in the tourism market when she noticed visitors sometimes struggled to find breakfast. Her family opened a restaurant serving local dishes alongside its existing tea business. She also introduces visitors to Blang customs and promotes the family's tea online.
"Before, we dealt with tea traders. After the World Heritage listing, tea lovers started coming directly to us," Kang said.
For Sanwen, who learned traditional handmade tea-making from older family members, the change means buyers can watch the work behind a finished product. Visitors to his workshop see leaves pan-fired, rolled and dried. He is exploring smaller packages and a modern tea-drinking space without changing the underlying technique.
