Overview of Zuxiang Tea Garden

Zuxiang Tea Garden is situated in the Wuliang Mountain range of Pu'er city's Nanping town in Yunnan - one of the oldest tea-growing regions in the world and widely regarded as the birthplace of tea. Founded in 1998 by Dong Zuxiang, a pioneering advocate for organic agriculture, the estate was built from the ground up on previously uncultivated mountain land with a clear mission: to grow tea sustainably, without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides.

Dong Zuxiang mobilised his community around this vision of chemical-free farming, famously leading a coordinated response to a severe tea moth infestation in 2012. Rather than resort to pesticides, he organised over 600 volunteers from the local area to catch the insects by hand, ultimately removing more than 6.4 million moths. Each catcher was paid per insect, and the community effort preserved the organic integrity of the garden at a significant financial cost. This event has become a defining example of Zuxiang’s ecological principles in action.

Today, Zuxiang is one of Yunnan's leading fully certified organic producers, holding EU, USDA, JAS, and Chinese organic accreditations. The estate cultivates tea among forested hillsides using clean mountain water and traditional sun-drying and microbial fermentation techniques. Its gardens and custom-built factory span over 160 hectares, producing green, black, white, yellow, and both raw and ripe puer teas.

Sustainability At Zuxiang Tea Garden

Placing sustainability at the heart of their mission with certified organic cultivation and environmentally responsible practices guiding every stage of production, Zuxiang Tea Garden avoids all chemical fertilisers and pesticides, instead protecting crops through natural pest management and agroforestry techniques. The previously mentioned situation with the 6.4 million tea moth infestation is a landmark example to their commitment of preserving the ecosystem without compromising organic integrity.

Beyond farming, Zuxiang is deeply engaged in reforestation, soil regeneration, and clean water conservation throughout the Wuliang Mountain area. The tea garden also works to empower rural communities through ecological education and local employment, ensuring its growth benefits both people and land. This approach has made Zuxiang a leading example of how organic tea farming can safeguard biodiversity while supporting long-term rural resilience.

Tea Production at Zuxiang Tea Garden

Zuxiang Tea Garden produces a wide range of organic teas using traditional methods adapted to the unique environment of Wuliang Mountain. From careful hand-plucking to natural sun-drying and post-fermentation, their approach prioritises quality, purity, and the preservation of natural character.

They produce green, white, yellow, black, and both raw and ripe puer teas, with a particular focus on shou puer processed through microbial fermentation without chemical additives. Clean mountain water and forest-grown leaves contribute to flavour profiles that are both rich and clean, reflecting the highland Yunnan terroir.

Zuxiang's in-house factory is purpose built to meet international organic standards while ensuring that modern processing capacity supports the traditional artisanal craft rather than replacing it.

Zuxiang Tea Garden's Impact

Zuxiang's impact extends beyond organic certification and clean farming through its long-term investment ecological education and rural resilience.

The tea garden's operations contribute toward the rural economic activity in Nanping town and the surrounding areas by employing a significant number of local residents, including members of various ethnic minority groups into roles such as cultivation, factory work and processing the tea.

Zuxiang Tea Garden Shoots

Zuxiang Tea Garden's Future & Where We Come In

Zuxiang Tea Garden continues to advance its commitment to sustainable land management and organic cultivation as one of Yunnan's leading certified organic tea estates and as a producer of quality Chinese tea.

Cha Dodo is proud to source from Zuxiang and to share their outstanding teas with those who value authenticity, traceability and environmental care. We look forward to a continued bridging the East with the West over cups of good tea.

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