Reporting on Lushan Tribe and Tunyuan together doesn’t leave much to say, honestly, because conditions in this area are poor. While Qilai Mountain as a whole isn’t doing great, a few tea gardens are performing exceptionally well, so there might just be some top-tier batches waiting to be found.
Lushan Tribe / Tunyuan 96K (Figure 34): Pretty disastrous. We originally expected this more northern location to fare well, but as it turned out, most of the tea gardens are struggling. A large number of tea plants have dried up and died, and even the normally drought-resistant JinXuan tea failed to grow properly. Several tea gardens that used to thrive in previous years proved completely defenseless against this year’s drought. The tea leaves are sparse with plenty of stunted buds, and yields might not even reach half of last year’s. The devastation gives Alishan a run for its money.
Duda Village, Qilai Mountain: Overall, this area is significantly better off than Lushan Tribe and Tunyuan 96K. Qilai Mountain has risen to become a “premium-priced tea region” in recent years, though there is still a noticeable gap in management standards across the area—something this year’s drought clearly highlights. Average-managed tea gardens turned in only mediocre performances this year, suffering from severe uneven growth. However, a few outstanding gardens seem to have had access to plenty of irrigation water. As of May 2nd, no harvesting had been seen yet, but things are expected to go into full swing in a few days. The regional score overall is around 70, with a few exceptional gardens hitting 80.
Here’s a photo of last year’s Qilai Mountain spring tea. Last year’s spring tea leaves were dark and lustrous, making this year’s look starkly inferior by comparison. Fortunately, a few tea gardens appear robust enough, and we hope the final product delivers a strong showing.
On a side note: There are a few stunning bougainvillea trees by the roadside in Lushan Tribe. Every time I pass by, it feels like my mind and body are cleansed. The villager who planted them is doing a wonderful deed. Thanks to the villager! Sharing these gorgeous photos with everyone, hoping they stay beautiful for a long time to come.
