Wuliang Shan: The Forgotten Cradle of Puerh Tea

When people talk about Puerh tea regions, names like Yiwu, Jingmai, or the Six Ancient Tea Mountains usually come up first. But long before those places rose to fame, another region quietly laid the foundations of Yunnan's tea legacy: Wuliang Shan.

A Tang Dynasty Origin Story

In 864 AD, a Tang Dynasty official named Fan Chuo wrote the Manshu《蛮书》 describing tea from the mountains around Yinsheng city:

"Tea comes from the mountains around the city of Yinsheng. It is gathered wild, not cultivated."

Yinsheng was the capital of Nanzhao Kingdom province located in today's Jingdong County, Yunnan, right at the foot of Wuliang Shan. The Nanzhao Kingdom (738-902 AD) was a powerful polity connecting Han China, Tibet, and Southeast Asia. Yinsheng was one of its tea-rich frontier provinces. The textual evidence from the Manshu pushes the written history of Puer tea back over 1,150 years, centuries before Xishuangbanna and Yiwu were ever mentioned. 

If we ignore Wuliang Shan, the supposed 1,400 year history of Puer tea becomes shaky. The famed Chali Xuanweisi (a tea trading office) in Xishuangbanna only dates back to the Ming Dynasty, so what happened in those earlier 500+ years? The answer lies in Wuliang's ancient forests. In fact, archaeological and botanical research now supports the view that Wuliang and nearby Ailao Mountains may have hosted some of the earliest human-managed tea forests, predating the intensive cultivation patterns seen elsewhere in Southern Yunnan.

The Geography of Wuliang Shan

Wuliang Shan means 'limitless mountain.' Together with the neighbouring Ailao Mountains, Wuliang was one of the earliest major tea-producing areas of Yunnan. Tea was already being cultivated here centuries before other regions gained fame. These mountains, located on the eastern bank of the Lancang River (the upper Mekong), formed the original core of what we now call the Puer tea region, nestled in between Lincang to the North, and Xishuangbanna to the South.

Over time, the people and tea culture of the old Yinsheng area gradually moved north and south into what became Xishuangbanna and Lincang. Yet their influence lives on in the old tea trees that remain deeply rooted in Wuliang Shan.

The misty, forested slopes of Wuliang Shan rise above the Lancang River and are home to many old arbor trees, many of which still grow semi-wild under forest canopy. Locals, especially Yi ethnic communities, have lived here for centuries, cultivating tea alongside rice, corn, and buckwheat. This traditional agroforestry system protected the soil, preserved biodiversity, and made life in the mountains self-sufficient.

Today, many tea gardens here are still part of that ancient intercropping model, often planted on slopes or forest edges. Natural shade from walnut and peach trees helps develop complexity in the leaves. It's one of the few places where ancient farming knowledge continues nearly unchanged. Field surveys by agricultural researchers confirm that Wuliang's tea plots often surpass 60% canopy coverage and maintain higher-than-average microbial activity in the soil, key to long-term tea tree health.

The Tea Planters

Tea followed people, and the people in Wuliang Shan were largely from various Yi ethnic subgroups, also known in ancient texts by names like Luoluo, Lalu, or Limi. They came from the colder, high-altitude regions of Tibet and western Sichuan and gradually migrated south into Yunnan. The Yi people are one of China's largest ethnic minorities. Historically semi-nomadic and deeply connected to mountain agriculture, they developed unique knowledge in managing forests, farming, and tea cultivation. Wherever they settled, they planted tea. Today, their descendants still live in villages on Wuliang Shan, and across Jingdong, Jinggu, and Fengqing.

Rise and Fall of the Yinsheng Tea Region

From around 800 to 1200 AD, Wuliang Shan was the most prosperous tea region in Yunnan. But everything changed in 1264, during the Yuan Dynasty. A local leader, Sheliwei, led a rebellion against the Mongol army and was crushed. This resulted in massive population displacement and collapse of the tea economy in Yinsheng.

Later, in the Ming Dynasty, Han settlers arrived with an army and took over the land. The old tea-farming system was broken, and official support shifted south toward Xishuangbanna. That's when the rise of Puer tea as we know it today began.

The legacy of Wuliang Shan

Even though Wuliang Shan faded from historical records, its legacy is preserved in its ancient tea trees and distinctive tea flavour.

In the cup, these teas usually offer clean golden liqour, light honey aromatics, and a gentle fruit or rock sugar sweetness that builds over time. Bitterness is moderate but balanced by astringency that leads to a satisfying hui gan (returning sweetness). Many Wuliang teas, particularly aged examples, offer a stronger and longer lasting hui gan than other regions. 

Young raw Puer from Wuliang can be enjoyed now but also ages well over the years. All the single origin Wuliang teas we have tried have become better with age. When sourcing Wuliang puerh for Pastleaf, we selected tree material and a processing style suited for long-term aging.

A Terroir That Speaks for Itself

We believe Wuliang Shan is a terroir that deserves more appreciation. Unlike famous mountain teas from Xishuangbanna or Lincang that have soared in price due to market hype and branding, Wuliang Shan teas remain affordable, authentic, and underappreciated. We've chosen to partner with producers on Wuliang that focus on traditional processing and excellent tree material. For puerh tea drinkers seeking such quality material, historical depth, and value, Wuliang Shan is a good choice. 

References

Fan Chuo (樊绰), Manshu (《蛮书》), 864 AD.

Xu, Y., Zhang, Y., & Liu, M. (2012). “Distribution and Domestication of Wild Tea Trees in Yunnan.” Journal of Tea Science, 32(4), 293–298.

Li, X., & Zhang, L. (2020). “Historical Geography of Ancient Tea Regions in Yunnan.” Yunnan Agricultural University Press.

Zhao, D. et al. (2016). “Soil Microbial Diversity in Ancient Tea Plantations in Wuliang Mountains.” Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture, 24(1), 93–100.

Zhang, R. & Wu, W. (2018). “Traditional Agroforestry of the Yi Ethnic Minority in Wuliangshan.” Ecology & Rural Environment, 34(5), 575–580.

Luo, C. (2019). “Blind Tasting: Evaluating Unbranded Pu’er Teas from Lesser-Known Mountains.” China Tea Monthly, 11, 42–45.