Yiwu is an indispensable place in the world of Pu'er Tea, both in the past and present. A century ago, Yiwu was the distribution center for the ancient six major tea mountains, a source of tribute tea, and the birthplace of century-old teas that still exist today. After the comprehensive revival of Pu'er tea, Yiwu transformed from a withering border town into a must-contest location for Pu'er tea merchants and even a place of pilgrimage for many tea lovers. The status of Yiwu tea in the Pu'er tea realm remains highly sought after by tea enthusiasts. During the spring tea season, the ancient town of Yiwu is bustling with activity, reminiscent of the scene described in the Qing Dynasty's “Yunnan Sea Records”: “Within an area of eight hundred li, ten thousand people enter the mountains to make tea.” With the popularity of Yiwu tea, the living standards of the people in the ancient town have significantly improved. Since 2010, when the “Yiwu Tea Competition” is held every April, the ancient town becomes even more lively, attracting countless guests.
The history of tea cultivation in Yiwu dates back to the Tang Dynasty, when ancient Pu people lived and grew tea there. During the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong period, the tea industry in Yiwu experienced rapid development. From the beginning of the Qianlong era, the Puer Prefecture relaxed its monopoly on tea trade, leading to the influx of tens of thousands of Han Chinese, primarily from Shilin, who renovated old tea gardens and established new ones. After four or five decades of expansion, over 30,000 mu of new tea gardens were added to Yiwu. By the end of the Qianlong era, the entire region of Yiwu was covered with tea gardens, villages, and bustling commercial activity.
During the Guangxu period, Yiwu replaced Yibang as the processing and distribution center for the ancient six major tea mountains due to strategic reasons and an epidemic. Yiwu tea was exported to Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, and multiple “brand names” were established. In the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods, the tea industry reached its peak, and the Yiwu tea area, including the Mansa tea mountain, became the political, economic, cultural, and transportation center of the six major tea mountains in Yunnan. Various business houses, tea shops, and stores emerged like mushrooms after rain, indicating commercial prosperity and the constant presence of horse caravans. Major tea shops included Tongxing Hao, founded around the 23rd year of the Guangxu era (1879), the oldest tea shop in Yiwu, along with Tongqing Hao, Qianli Zhen, and Tongchang Hao, which formed the “big four” over the years.
Other tea shops included Donghe Xiang (Yixing Xiang), Tai Dong Xiang, Song Xing Chang, Yuan Tai Feng, and Hongqing Hao. The boom in commerce and the significant increase in tea production also made Yiwu the starting point of the “Tea Horse Road.” During that time, tea horse roads radiated out from Yiwu in all directions, including routes from Yiwu to Laos to Vietnam to Hong Kong, Yiwu to Laos to Vientiane, Yiwu to Laos to Thailand, Yiwu to Dali to Lhasa, and Yiwu to Kunming to Beijing.
Tribute tea is a calling card for Yiwu. In the village of Cross Street in the ancient town of Yiwu, the starting point for the tribute tea's journey to the capital—the Public Family Courtyard—is still preserved. The banyan trees here are lush and have been standing for over 300 years, with a circumference of about 10 meters and a height of over 20 meters. Due to the erosion of water over time and soil loss, the roots of these old banyan trees have risen over one meter above ground level.
The stone monuments commemorating the “Horse Caravan's Ten Thousand Mile Journey for Tribute Tea” are weathered and worn. The Public Family Courtyard is a relic of the glorious history of Pu'er tea. A century ago, before the tribute tea departed for the capital, a grand ceremony would be held here on an auspicious day. Local officials, soldiers, tea shop owners, tea makers, and local residents would first pay homage to Guan Yu at the Guandi Temple, hoping for a smooth journey to the capital, as Guan Yu had once passed through five barriers and slain six generals. After the worship, everyone would gather at the Public Family Courtyard to bow and pay their respects to the tribute tea. By midday, with the sound of the signal arrow, the horse caravan would officially set off for the capital.
In 1936, French colonial authorities in Vietnam obstructed the entry of Chinese Tea, blocking the export route of Yiwu tea to Southeast Asia. When the War of Resistance Against Japan broke out, tea shops in Yiwu went bankrupt, and tea farmers scattered. The Chinese Tea Company controlled by the Nanjing government's Ministry of Finance chose Fohai (present-day Menghai County) as the center of the tea industry, leading to the decline of Yiwu. Although business dwindled, the tea trees remained. Until the 1970s, tea farmers abandoned their tea gardens to grow food, severely damaging the vitality of the Yiwu tea area, except for the ancient tea gardens hidden deep in the forests that survived.
As for the Tea Horse Road, due to disrepair and changes in transportation routes, only a small portion remains today. Currently, there are 19 sections of cobblestone Tea Horse Roads preserved within Yiwu Township, totaling approximately 10,617 meters, making them excellent spots for exploring historical sites. The inscriptions on the bridge steles and the remaining sculptures, steles, plaques, and ancient tea shop ruins scattered throughout the Yiwu tea mountains all tell the story of a prosperous tea kingdom.
A visit to Yiwu should include a stroll down the old street, much like the lyrics from Li Ronghao's “Old Street”: “The steaming noodle soup sold by the grandfather at the end of the alley, the aroma permeates the old courtyard…” Although there are no steaming noodle soups on the old street of Yiwu, there are old courtyards with peeling walls and ancient architecture that still retains the appearance of a century ago. The best-preserved site is the former residence of Che Shun Hao, a quadrangle courtyard with wooden cross-beam structures supported by stone pedestals and a double-eaved pavilion-style earthen wall. The plaque above the gate with the inscription “Tribute to the Celestial Dynasty” is a replica but still shines brightly, recording the glory of the Che family a century ago.
The streets paved with cobblestones resemble a saddle perched on a hill. Although the cobblestone roads are in disrepair, they exude a sense of tranquility and warmth. The old courtyard houses on the old street, whether quadrangles, single-story structures, or those facing the street, seem to tell stories of distant times, filled with joy and sorrow, success and failure, honor and hardship. Following the deep hoof prints in the cobblestones, you can almost hear the echoes of the camel bells. The horse drivers greet the merchants inside with smiles, asking for a cup of tea or buying a bag of tobacco, simple and enthusiastic. From here, the horse caravans embarked north to the capital, south to Southeast Asia, and into Tibet, traveling far into Central Asia, carrying dreams and hopes, facing the storms with a smile.
Originally published in “Pu'er” magazine
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