Terroir Exploration: A Case Study of Jingmai Mountain Tea Culture Tourism

Abstract

China has been renowned for its abundant tea production since ancient times, and recent research has conclusively identified Yunnan Province as the birthplace of tea trees worldwide. Yunnan is celebrated for its diverse tea production, with Puer tea being one of the most famous varieties. Puer tea is crafted from large-leaf tea trees grown within Yunnan's geographical protection zone, using specific processing techniques that impart unique quality characteristics. Based on processing methods and flavor profiles, Puer tea can be categorized into raw (sheng) and ripe (shou) types. Raw Puer is known for its initial bitterness followed by a sweet aftertaste, while ripe Puer offers a milder, more robust flavor profile with hints of woodiness, improving in taste over time. As a result, it has garnered significant attention from tea enthusiasts and investors alike.

From a historical perspective, the early history of Puer tea to some extent reflects the development of Yunnan's tea industry, while the modern rise of Puer tea is a consequence of globalization, starting with Taiwan and related regions, driven by international market dynamics.

In recent years, the emergence of Puer tea has drawn widespread attention within the global tea market, bringing previously obscure Puer tea-producing regions into international focus. Jingmai Mountain, situated in Yunnan's Puer region, has gained prominence due to its unique natural tea tree resources, historical cultural significance among ethnic minorities, and the surging demand for Puer tea in the market. Jingmai Mountain is currently seeking World Heritage status as a cultural landscape of ancient tea forests, making it the world's first World Heritage nomination with a tea culture theme.

Within a radius of approximately twenty kilometers in Jingmai Mountain, five ethnic minorities, namely the Dai, Bulang, Hani, Wa, and Lahu, have come together. They have traditionally made a livelihood from tea production, with the Dai and Bulang on Jingmai Mountain boasting over 1300 years of tea planting history, evidenced by the thousands hectares of ancient tea gardens on the mountain. The exceptional geographical conditions of Jingmai Mountain provide optimal conditions for tea tree growth, and the ethnic minorities have developed various methods of using tea. The evolution of tea usage over history reflects the diversity of tea culture built upon the foundation of different ethnic groups.

Drawing inspiration from the concept of "Terroir" in the French wine industry, we can apply it to analyze tea culture tourism in Jingmai Mountain. "Terroir" emphasizes the unique characteristics that a specific geographical environment and human factors impart to a product, revealing the intricate relationship between a product and its place of origin. The distinct geographical and climatic features of Jingmai Mountain, coupled with the tea planting and processing techniques developed by ethnic minorities over history, represent a unique "Terroir" setting it apart from other Puer tea-producing regions.

Jingmai Mountain's natural setting, ethnic cultures, and high-quality tea leaves offer a multi-faceted attraction for visitors. From learning about Jingmai Mountain to actually embarking on a visit, participating in various tea culture-related experiential activities, visitors gradually form an emotional attachment to the region. This is precisely the outcome sought by local tea culture tourism. The local "Terroir" draws consumers to become tourists, and the emotional feedback from tourists further deepens the regional "Terroir," shaping its distinctive identity.

In summary, Yunnan's Puer tea represents China's rich tea tradition, with the Jingmai Mountain famous for its unique geographical climate, diverse ethnic cultures, and distinctive Terroir that make Jingmai Mountain a popular destination for tea culture tourism.