Xuelin Township is located in the northwest of Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, with a long tradition of Tea cultivation and processing. The 17,400 mu (approximately 1,160 hectares) of tea gardens throughout the township have driven the development of the tea industry and enriched the local people. In recent years, an increasing number of young people who love rural areas, possess technical skills, and are adept at business management have returned from cities to the countryside. This transition from “seeking dreams elsewhere” to “building dreams at home” has made them a vital force in promoting rural revitalization.

△ On the left is Ye Cong.

Ye Cong is a native Wa ethnic group woman. After graduating from university, she returned home to establish the Lancang Ye Cong Tea Farmers' Professional Cooperative, with the goal of bringing the tea grown on this fertile land out of the mountains. To achieve this, Ye Cong guided tea farmers to classify and pick different grades of tea, such as small trees, ancient trees, single ancient tree trunks, and White Tea, which significantly increased the value of the tea.

“In the past, our tea garden management was inadequate, and the prices were not high. Since the establishment of the Ye Cong Tea Farmers' Professional Cooperative, we have followed the cooperative's requirements for maintenance and management, leading to higher prices for fresh leaves and, consequently, higher incomes for us,” said tea farmer Wei Niga. Villagers lease their ancient tea trees to the cooperative, earning rent while also receiving income from selling tea, thus achieving an increase in income without leaving their homes.

Responding to the call of the Xuelin Township Party Committee and government, Ye Cong leverages her own strengths and actively works on building a tea brand, exploring and developing tea tree resources, innovating picking methods, and improving the production chain, enabling tea to spread its wings and fly out of the mountains. “Starting from 2025, I began learning to do e-commerce live streaming. Through digital marketing and e-commerce live streaming, I share good tea and the local ethnic culture, hoping that through my efforts, the tea from my hometown can reach beyond the mountains and bring more villagers into prosperity and increased incomes,” says Ye Cong.

To expand sales channels and enhance brand awareness, Ye Cong travels extensively to understand market demands and actively promotes and publicizes her products. In 2025, she registered the “Zuodu Dazhai” tea brand and took her hometown's tea to participate in tea expos in Beijing, Shenzhen, Foshan, and other places, spreading the aroma of tea far and wide. (Text and photos by Chen Yue)