Youle, the habitat of the Bulu people, is now known as Jinping Mountain. Legend has it that the Bulu ancestors followed Zhuge Liang on his southern campaign and ended up staying here after being left behind, hence they were called the “Lost People,” or the Youle people. Tea cultivation in Youle began over 1,000 years ago, and by the mid-Ming dynasty, tea gardens had grown to cover more than 4,000 mu. By the late Ming Dynasty, Han merchants had entered Youle to conduct tea business, making it once the leading tea mountain among the six major tea mountains.

Introduction to the Youle Ancient Tea Mountain

The Youle Ancient Tea Mountain falls under the jurisdiction of the Jinping Bulu Ethnic Township in Jinghong City. It is one of the historically renowned “Six Ancient Tea Mountains” of Pu'er tea. It borders the towns of Mengyang, Menghan, and Jinghong in Jinghong City, as well as Menglun and Xiangming in Mengla County. The altitude ranges from 575 to 1,691 meters, with a climate typical of the northern tropics and southern subtropics. The region enjoys an average annual temperature of 18-20°C and is rich in biological and land resources.

Area of Tea Gardens in Youle Ancient Tea Mountain

The history of tea cultivation, processing, and trade in Youle Ancient Tea Mountain dates back a long time. Historical records show that during the Yongzheng period (1729) of the Qing Dynasty, the Pu'er Prefecture set up the Youle Magistrate's Office in Jinping Mountain to manage the ancient “Six Tea Mountains,” with a garrison of 500 soldiers. During the late Qing Dynasty, the area of ancient tea gardens was around 10,000 mu. After many vicissitudes, most of these gardens have been destroyed, and over 70% of the ancient tea gardens have become wasteland. Currently, only about 2,900 mu of ancient tea gardens remain in the entire township.

The current area of the Youle tea mountain is approximately 3,200 mu, with 1,400 mu available for picking. The total land area of Jinping Township is 622.9 square kilometers, of which 530,000 mu are part of the national nature reserve and state-owned forests, accounting for 57% of the total area. This is a purely mountainous agricultural township. There are 2,900 mu of ancient tea gardens and 7,299 mu of new terrace tea gardens, with 9,260 mu available for picking. In 2004, the total production of raw tea was 330 tons, with an average yield of 34 kilograms per mu.

Taste Characteristics of Youle Ancient Tree Pu'er Tea

The aroma and taste profile are similar to those of Mansa and Yiwu. The tea leaves have a deeper color, with a fragrant and smooth mouthfeel. There is a slightly higher bitterness and astringency on the tongue, and the taste is concentrated. The tea is relatively strong and powerful. The taste is similar to that of the Yiwu region, with a balance between bitterness and astringency. The aroma and taste are close to those of Mansa and Yiwu, but the tea leaves have a darker color and a smoother, more fragrant mouthfeel. The astringency on the tongue is stronger than in the Yiwu tea area, lacking the broad, full-bodied mouthfeel characteristic of Yiwu teas.

The depth of the throat resonance is not as profound as in Yiwu. The ancient tea trees of Youle have a heavier bitterness at the base of the tongue, but the aftertaste is very good, making the tea excellent value for money. The main producers of Youle ancient tree tea are the villages of Longpa, Situ Laizhai, Tzutung, and Manhai. The remaining ancient tea gardens in Longpa Village and Balei Village cover approximately 2,900 mu, with many hundreds-year-old ancient tea trees. These ancient tea gardens are located at altitudes of 1,300 to 1,400 meters and produce over ten tons of ancient tree tea annually.

Price of Youle Pu'er Spring Tea

Price of Youle 2024 Ancient Tree Spring Tea

The price of ancient tree spring tea from Youle Mountain: 1,200 to 2,200 yuan per kilogram; the price of small tree spring tea from Youle Mountain: 300 to 600 yuan per kilogram.

Tea Nest Network Recommendations for Youle Tea Mountain Spring Tea

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