Cloud tea is like life; life is learning, wisdom is cultivation.
The March Fair is a traditional Bai festival and market, held every year from the fifteenth to the twenty-first of the third lunar month in Dali. This festival has thousands of years of history and is one of the largest folk markets in Yunnan. At the March Fair, you find all manner of goods — medicinal herbs, cloth, farm tools, livestock. But what draws me most, of course, is tea.
The tea market at the March Fair is special. In a city tea shop, you only see pre-packaged tea cakes or loose tea. But at the March Fair tea market, you encounter tea in its most elemental forms — sun-dried loose leaf, tightly pressed cakes, tuo cha, brick tea. And you can speak face-to-face with the tea farmers, learning about the origins and methods behind each leaf. This kind of shopping experience simply does not exist in the city.
This year I went to Dali for the March Fair. The streets were bustling, lined with stalls from end to end, throngs of people everywhere. I focused on the tea section, where farmers from every major Yunnan producing region had gathered — from Banna, from Lincang, from Pu’er, from Dali itself. Every stall displayed various teas, each giving off its own fragrance. I walked slowly, looked carefully, and tasted everything offered.
There are techniques for treasure-hunting at the March Fair tea market. First, taste everything. Every stall offers free tastings — do not be shy, you must try. Only by tasting can you know if a tea suits your palate. Second, ask about origins. A good tea farmer will happily share where the tea comes from — which mountain, what elevation, how old the trees are. Third, compare. Do not buy at the first stall; visit several and compare both price and quality.
This year I found several treasures. The first was an ancient tree Dian Hong (Yunnan black tea) from Fengqing in Lincang — its honey aroma was pronounced, the liquor bright red, the quality surpassing many large-factory productions. The second was Cangshan Snow Green, a local Dali green tea with a distinctive floral note. The third was an ancient tree raw pu-erh from Yiwu in Banna, with an unusual blend of floral and honey aromas. All three were reasonably priced, since the farmers were selling directly — no middlemen markups.
Drinking tea at the March Fair market offers a special experience — you can witness the entire journey from farmer to cup. The farmers brew their tea right there on the spot; you see the colour of the liquor, smell its aroma, taste its flavour. Then you can talk with the farmers about their tea-making philosophy and life stories. This kind of interaction cannot be matched by online shopping or visiting a tea shop.
The history of the March Fair dates back to the Tang Dynasty. It is said to have begun as a trading market for the Bai people to exchange goods. Over time it grew larger and larger, eventually becoming the biggest folk market in Yunnan. Tea has always been one of the most important commodities at the fair. Yunnan is the homeland of tea, and the March Fair tea market is a microcosm of that heritage.
Tea has grades; all may enjoy it regardless of status.
When I left the March Fair, I returned to Guangdong with a large bag of tea. Though my luggage was much heavier, my heart was full of satisfaction. The feeling of finding tea at the March Fair is like treasure-hunting — you never know what surprise awaits at the next stall. That is the charm of the March Fair: it satisfies every curiosity you have about tea.
Next March Fair, I will go back to Dali again and hunt for more tea. It has become part of my annual calendar. Every visit brings new discoveries, new surprises. That is the joy tea gives me — there is always something new waiting to be explored.
Make friends through tea, please enjoy a cup.
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Author: Old Tea Head · Lin Shen (LamSam)
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