Auntie Li lives in the same village as Grandma Li—they’re neighbors, just a short walk from each other. Though a bit younger, Auntie Li is now in her fifties. She’s been picking and making tea since childhood, learning the craft directly from her father. Among her four siblings, she’s the only one who chose to stay behind and carry on the family’s tea-making tradition.
What makes Auntie Li stand out is her personality—unusually lively and talkative for a tea farmer. She led us through winding mountain paths to visit her tea gardens deep in the hills. The walk was long, and the terrain steep. Many have already given up harvesting from these distant plots. But not Auntie Li. When we asked her why she stayed, she smiled and said: "I chose to stay because I love the mountains, and I love making tea. Life here is simple, but it fills me with peace and purpose. If I went to the city at my age, all I could do would be hard labor. But here, making tea in my own home, I feel free."
The View in Front of Auntie Li’s Home
When we visit tea farmers, it’s rare for them to introduce others—they usually focus on their own harvest. Auntie Li was different. She hoped we could work with more villagers, and personally guided us to several neighboring tea farmers. From their warm welcomes, we realized just how hard it is for local growers to sell their tea. Of course, their hospitality was genuine and unforced.
Auntie Li is Taking Us to Visit Nearby Tea Farmers
As we walked along the roadside, Auntie Li suddenly spotted a wild tea bush clinging to the steep slope. Without hesitation, she climbed up—carefully but boldly—risking a slip just to pluck a few tender leaves.
In Auntie Li’s village, the tea trees are never pruned or treated—left to grow naturally in the deep forest. The villagers are mostly elderly now, and the tea gardens lie far from home. A round trip is exhausting, and few have the energy to manage the land anymore.
Auntie Li’s Tea Gardens – Deep in the Mountains, Growing Wild and Free
Here, dark tea is the everyday brew—specifically Liubao tea, which originated in Cangwu County. Locals steep a pot to sip throughout the day, using it to cool down and relieve fatigue. When guests arrive, they’ll always be offered a cup. Liubao tea is known for its mild nature and especially its ability to dispel internal dampness—a common ailment in the region’s hot and humid climate. Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Liubao tea became a lifeline for Chinese laborers in Southeast Asia. It was cheap, easy to store, and invaluable in harsh working conditions—especially for miners and other laborers.
Even today, Liubao tea remains popular across Southeast Asia. Locals there say its warming, detoxifying qualities make it particularly well-suited to the region’s climate. And of course, it offers a host of other health benefits for those curious to explore further.
This is the process of us going up the mountain with Auntie Li to pick tea.
