The Historical Origins of Yunnan Saiping Coffee - The Story Behind Saiping Coffee and Its Quality

Origins

In 1892, French missionary Father Tian successfully cultivated coffee in a place called Zhukula in Yunnan. To this day, 24 coffee trees over 90 years old still grow in Zhukula Township.

Zhukula is a mysterious, legendary, and beautiful natural village, belonging to the Zhukula Village Committee of Pingchuan Town, Binchuan County, Dali Prefecture. It sits on the bank of the Yupao River, a tributary of the Jinsha River, at the junction of three places: Dali Prefecture, Chuxiong Prefecture, and Lijiang City.

More than 100 years ago, Zhukula was called "Ruo Kelai" in the Yi language, meaning "winding mountain road." In 1892, with the arrival of French missionary Father Tian, the essence of the Yi language was combined with French romance, giving rise to the name Zhukula. Later generations translated Zhukula to mean "paradise on earth."

According to reports, in 1892 French missionary Father Tian, for his own coffee-drinking needs, propagated the first coffee tree using coffee beans outside the church. He then cultivated more coffee trees and planted them around the church. From that time on, Zhukula Village began coffee cultivation, and the village has been surrounded by coffee trees ever since. The two oldest elders in the village, Qi Guanghui and Li Fusheng, are both in their eighties this year. Together they have witnessed the formation of China's oldest coffee forest.

Although Zhukula is poor and backward, it is a place with an indissoluble bond with coffee. Besides everyone growing coffee, the villagers all have a tradition of drinking it: self-grown, self-ground, and self-brewed. Now, regardless of gender or age, everyone in the village has the habit of drinking coffee. The villagers here have a special affection for coffee trees. Even if coffee beans have not brought them any economic benefit, the villagers are reluctant to cut down a single coffee tree.

Zhukula Village welcomes guests with local coffee and walnuts. Although the coffee brewed in earthen jars may not taste the best, this primitive drinking method reflects the Zhukula villagers' love for coffee and is also the highest ceremonial reception for guests. The unique and rich original ecological coffee culture makes everyone who knows Zhukula sigh with admiration; this place truly deserves to be called China's No. 1 Coffee Village.

Yunnan Authentic, World-Class

Chinese people's own coffee is produced in Yunnan and has over 100 years of cultivation history. It is the first domestically produced coffee.

Because of its unique geographical environment and climate conditions, Yunnan coffee has formed a distinctive flavor: rich but not bitter, fragrant but not strong, with a hint of fruitiness. World-class coffee experts have evaluated it as among the best coffee in the world.

Coffee for Different Days

Happy days drink Macchiato: It represents a "sweet imprint," sweet and gentle, smooth as floating clouds.

Ordinary days drink original flavor: In simplicity there is no lack of rich aroma; in plainness there is even more mellow smoothness.

Struggling days drink Cappuccino: The perfect combination of strong bitterness, fragrance, and richness, intoxicating for both the pain and the pleasure.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Zhukula is a reminder that Yunnan's coffee story is more than a century old, and today's Yunnan lots carry that heritage forward. FrontStreet Yunnan Small Bean comes from the Baoshan growing area, where the warm, frost-free climate and the dry-hot river valley around Lujiangba create large day-night temperature swings and a distinctive sweet aftertaste. Washed and medium roasted, it shows a gentle caramel note while keeping some acidity, so it expresses the terroir of the region clearly, with soft nutty and chocolate sweetness and a light plum acidity that makes it an ideal entry-level Chinese Arabica.

If you want a more defined Yunnan flavor, FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan Natural Typica is grown on FrontStreet's own estate from fully ripe red cherries and processed with the most traditional method, natural drying. Typica is one of the oldest and purest Arabica varieties, and after natural processing and a medium roast the cup becomes heavier and sweeter, with citrus and berry notes, a touch of fermented wine aroma, caramel sweetness, and a creamy finish. For espresso with Yunnan character, FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend combines Yunnan small bean with Brazil Cerrado for a balanced sweet-sour-bitter Americano and a smooth, almond-and-cream latte.