Ailao Mountains

There is a saying in the Pu'er tea world: “If you don’t understand Bulang Mountain, you don’t understand Pu'er tea.” Many newcomers to the world of tea may wonder: Why does one need to understand Bulang Mountain to truly understand Pu'er tea? Bulang Mountain has become renowned worldwide for its tea. This ancient tea mountain, located within Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, is situated in the southwestern border region of China, closer to the Myanmar border than other famous mountains. It is a well-known Pu'er tea production area and one of the regions with the most preserved ancient tea gardens. The existence of Bulang Mountain and the age-old tea trees upon it are shrouded in mystery. Whether the mountain predates the ancient tea trees or vice versa remains unknown; however, the teas from Bulang Mountain have certainly gained global recognition. Bulang Mountain is named after the ethnic minority that resides there. The Bulang people have lived in the mountain and cultivated tea for over a thousand years. They are among the earliest known cultivators, processors, and consumers of tea in the world. The absolute elevation of Bulang Mountain ranges from 1,000 to 2,200 meters, with relative height differences of 500 to 1,000…