Lee Barrett falls in love with Pu'er

The evening of February 22 was electric outside the Yuxi Plateau Sports Center in Yunnan Province, as music and cheers blended into a joyous celebration. British travel blogger Lee Barrett, arriving in this vibrant atmosphere, was immediately caught up in the football fever, instinctively moving to the beat. He was there specifically for Yunnan Yukun team’s Chinese Super League (CSL) debut. Before the match, Lee Barrett enjoyed the local Long Street Banquet and then captured his first moments at the CSL arena with his action camera.

Lee Barrett was captivated by the vibrant scenes along the way, constantly snapping photos and interacting with the enthusiastic fans. Inside the fan shop, he filmed the dazzling merchandise, describing it to his viewers. Entering the stadium, Lee Barrett joined thousands of cheering fans to witness Yunnan Yukun’s historic “triple jump” in four years, excitedly shouting in his newly learned Yunnan dialect: “Yukun, Banzha!” (“Yukun, awesome!”)

Lee Barrett travels to Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er.

After the match, Lee Barrett’s Yunnan journey took him to Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er, where the shifting morning mist marked a new chapter. In the ancient tea forests, Bulang ethnic tea farmers were harvesting the spring tea. Lee Barrett then sampled the sweet, non-bitter Pu’er tea, which prompted him to exclaim: “I’ve had Chinese green tea and black tea before, but this is my first time drinking Pu’er tea. Jingmai Mountain tea is very delicious, the taste is very sweet, it doesn’t feel bitter, it’s really good.”

Lee Barrett marveled at Jingmai Mountain’s leisure, pristine nature, and stunning beauty—where the indigenous ethnic groups have been guarding the ancient tea trees for generations. These ancient trees are like guardians of time, quietly standing in the misty mountains, each leaf carrying the weight of history and the bounty of nature.

 

An ancient village at Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er

In this idyllic environment, Lee Barrett experienced a powerful sense of harmony between humans and nature. Despite the language differences, he found an easy connection with the Dai and Bulang villagers through shared smiles, nods of understanding, and sincere compliments. He came to realize that Jingmai Mountain represented more than just beautiful scenery; it was a living story of cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and community harmony. And this was just the start of Lee Barrett’s personal journey with Yunnan.

By Zhang Min