Under the chaos of the world, global governance initiatives have become more valuable in the era. 133 years ago, Frenchman Tian Denong planted China's first coffee tree in Zhukula Village, Pingchuan Town, Binchuan County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. 133 years later, this small village hidden deep in the mountains has become a destination and popular check-in point for searching for traces of Chinese coffee. Recently, an interview team consisting of multiple journalists and writers embarked on a "Yunnan Coffee Roots Tour" to learn about the history and current situation of Zhukula coffee cultivation, and experience Yunnan coffee culture.
Picture provided by Zhukula Village, Binchuan County
Zhukula Village has now built a cement road, making it no longer difficult to enter and exit the village. Thanks to the improvement of transportation and living conditions, the coffee planting area in Zhukula Village has reached 613 acres. Currently, there are 24 surviving first generation coffee trees over 100 years old, 1110 second-generation coffee trees over 70 years old, and over 20000 third-generation coffee trees under 70 years old.
At Zhukula Coffee Dream Manor in Jinniu Town, Binchuan County, coffee trees are sprouting new shoots and brewing flowers everywhere. The estate manager Wan Xuejun introduced that this 4752 acre red soil land, with a planting density of 280 trees per acre and a continuous investment of 200 million yuan, has planted a total of 56000 coffee trees on 2000 acres. These coffee seeds all come from Zhukula Village and are transplanted after seedling cultivation.
Interview team understands the history of Zhu Kula coffee and provides pictures
The original Catholic church where French missionary Tian De Neng was located has now been converted into the Zhukula Coffee Culture Museum, "said Cai Jichuan, a government worker in Pingchuan Town, Binchuan County, leading an interview team. After Tian De Neng's death, the coffee tree he planted completely withered in 1997. But the coffee and coffee drinking habits he brought have been passed down and become a way of life in Yunnan, rooted in the land of China.
Retired teacher Zheng Shulian from Zhukula Village said in an interview, "The root of China's first coffee tree that died was dug up from the soil by a coffee company for 1000 yuan in 2004 and is currently being collected and exhibited as a specimen. Villager Li Zhongxiang's family has planted a sapling at this coffee tree site, which is over 2 meters tall and growing well
In the past two years, Zhukula Village has received increasing attention from the outside world, with more and more tourists coming here for sightseeing and tourism. However, food and accommodation have become a challenge. Therefore, villager Li Chunliang has started preparing to open a "Li Laogeng Restaurant" that integrates dining and accommodation, and plans to officially open for business in the second half of this year. Li Chunliang will also become the first rural tourist in Zhukula.
Photo of the coffee tree at Zhukula Coffee Dream Manor
Given the intangible cultural heritage characteristics of Zhukula coffee, Yunnan Museum has also formed an "unbreakable bond" with Zhukula coffee. In September 2017, the first coffee shop opened in a Chinese museum settled in the Yunnan Provincial Museum. This is not only a showcase of the traditional production process of Zhukula coffee, but also a window to promote Zhukula coffee. Tourists can enjoy the millennium cultural relics and taste the century old Zhukula coffee at the same time. Since its opening, it has received over 200000 visitors.
Hu Lu, Vice President of Yunnan Coffee Association, introduced that in late July 2008, during the rainy season, he pushed his motorcycle along the rugged mountain road in Binchuan, Dali to search for China's first coffee tree. Led by local resident Qi Fenghua, they walked from the village committee in Diluoxi Village to Zhukula Village on foot. They met the first village cadre of Zhukula Village after the founding of New China, Qi Guanghui, and Li Fusheng, the two oldest elderly people, and listened to their oral accounts of the history of coffee cultivation in Zhukula Village.
Hu Lu, Vice President of Yunnan Coffee Association, introduces the scene of searching for China's first coffee tree in the past for pictures
Hu Lu was thrilled to discover the first coffee tree planted by missionary Tian De Neng. Then, everyone counted each tree in the coffee forest of Zhukula Village, and the result was 1134.
Hu Lu insists that the first coffee tree planted in Zhukula Village was in 1892, which can withstand the test of oral history and physical evidence. Only by determining that the tree was planted in 1892, can the conclusion that the first coffee tree in Zhukula Village is the first coffee tree in China be more convincing.
Zhukula coffee has become a cultural symbol. Hu Lu strongly suggests that Dali Prefecture and Binchuan County organize seminars to discuss the history of Zhukula coffee, especially the planting time of the first coffee tree, provide evidence, and reach consensus. The research results, as the connotation and extension of Zhukula coffee culture, will make Yunnan coffee bigger and stronger.
Yunnan Net reporter Zhao Gang
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