The fame of Python Spring has risen rapidly in recent years. At first mention, it sounds like a mysterious and alluring place. You may wonder whether Python Spring is frequented by pythons, or if it's covered in primeval forests with towering trees and dense shrubs; perhaps it's also difficult to reach and very primitive? Today, I will answer these questions one by one.

Python Spring falls under the administrative jurisdiction of Yaqu Township in Mengla County. It does not belong to Yiwu Township. The nearby famous villages are Baihua Tan and Tongqing River, both of which are also part of Yaqu Township. We usually refer to them as teas from the Yiwu production area, but administratively, they belong to Yaqu Township, where the majority of residents are Yao people. There are many relatives among the villagers of Tongqing River, Baihua Tan, and Python Spring. The Tea production at Python Spring isn't very high, especially when it comes to ancient tree tea, of which there is even less. Its core production area is mainly located near the large forest. In recent years, with its rising fame, some previously cultivated land around the Village has been converted for tea cultivation. However, the quantity remains limited, and the aroma and character of the tea grown in recent years differ significantly from those traditionally produced. Visually, the traditional plots produce darker, glossier leaves, while the newer plots yield paler, whiter leaves. The difference is clear. Now let's talk about the traditional plots.

I first visited the place in 2008, and the journey was incredibly tough. We drove from Mengla County, passing through the Sky Tree Scenic Area. The road from the county to the scenic area was good, being paved with asphalt. However, after the scenic area, the road became rough. At that time, it was entirely dirt roads. The distance between the county and Yaqu Township is 40 kilometers, and even under clear skies, it took four to five hours to drive. Python Spring Village is about 15 kilometers away from the Yaqu Township government, and reaching it was even more challenging. Even with a four-wheel-drive vehicle or pickup truck, it would take over two hours to arrive under favorable conditions. Nowadays, the road conditions have improved significantly, and it only takes a little over two hours to get from Mengla County to Python Spring Village. Upon arriving at the village, if you want to enter their tea fields, you cannot drive there because there are no roads. You must walk or ride a motorcycle. I've done both in Tongqing River, but it's too dangerous, and I've even fallen off the motorcycle. Therefore, I do not recommend riding motorcycles. Since then, I always go on foot.

To enter, you follow the stream, as there are no paths on either side. Actually, this stream is not small; it resembles a small river with very clear water flowing out of the forest. It's a bit cold, so I imagine it would be quite uncomfortable during winter. On both sides of the stream, the forest is in a relatively primitive state, with dense shrubs. Occasionally, you can see wild banana trees. If the bananas are ripe, they're delicious and completely natural!

About an hour into following the stream, you'll start seeing some tea trees on either side, not densely packed but scattered. Some are clearly planted by humans. After walking another one or two kilometers, the forest becomes denser, and the tea trees become larger. These trees are around 30-50 years old, mostly naturally grown. Ancient trees over a hundred years old are rare. Although these 30-50-year-old trees aren't considered ancient, they are quite tall, reaching 5-7 meters. They are nothing like the tea trees in artificial plantations, showing no signs of human pruning. The natural humus soil provides the best nutrients, and they never suffer from drought due to the constant flow of the stream. With such an environment, it's normal to find many snakes.

Honestly, every time I went in, I saw snakes, most of which were venomous. However, I've never seen a large python, perhaps we just didn't have the chance. However, according to the locals, they've seen them several times, and they were quite big and frightening. I hope someday I'll have the opportunity to encounter one. I've only seen a python once in the wild, in Youle Mountain, which I mentioned before.