Yibin

Production of Sichuan black tea began in Yibin during the spring and summer of 1951. However, at that time, only rough black tea could be produced locally, which then had to be transported to the Chongqing Tea Factory for refinement before being exported to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, increasing costs. Therefore, in March 1952, the Southwest Regional Company of the China Tea Corporation dispatched 36 technical staff and workers from Chongqing to Yibin to establish a refined tea factory. The site chosen for the Yibin Tea Factory was located at the Nan'an Shangdu Port, facilitating the loading of tea onto ships for freight. During construction, 20 acres of land were allocated by the Yibin Special Administrative Region, along with the purchase of one warehouse from the Bao Yuantong Company and one building from the Dian Dong Company (a Yunnan-based business that opened a branch in Yibin during the Republican era and later became state-owned). These facilities were renovated to serve as workshops, warehouses, offices, and temporary dormitories. Initially, the Southwest Regional Company of the China Tea Corporation invested 66,500 yuan, and due to limited funds, bamboo fences were used as walls around the factory. Before the official sign…