In a recent interview, we explored the rich heritage and economic significance of the ancient oil tea tree grove located in the Ma Dong Village of Pingxiang, Guangxi. As autumn sets in, the fragrance of oil tea fills the air, marking a period of celebration for the local community.
We spoke with 93-year-old resident Lu Qichao, who gazes longingly at the mountains behind his village, home to thousands of ancient oil tea trees that are older than he is. Lu reminisces about his childhood, recalling the days he spent with relatives gathering oil tea fruits. Now, he follows the growth and harvests of these ancient trees with great interest.
Nestled in the southern region of China, Ma Dong Village boasts a remarkable ancient oil tea tree grove that spans 736.5 acres and contains 8,937 trees over a century old. According to officials from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Forestry Bureau, the Pingxiang Forestry Department conducted a survey in 2017, discovering this grove hidden in the hills. Most of these trees are a unique species native to the China-Vietnam border known as “Vietnamese oil tea,” with fruits as large as a chicken egg. The team was astonished to find that this grove remains pristine, untouched by human activities, and exhibits robust natural regeneration.
Jiang Bei, the head of the forestry work station in Pingxiang, shared that the largest tree measures approximately 60 centimeters in diameter, stands about 9 meters tall, and has a canopy spread of around 6 meters, producing around 150 kilograms of oil tea seeds annually. That same year, the Pingxiang Forestry Bureau marked these trees and entered them into the ancient tree management system of Guangxi, a move that has significantly boosted conservation efforts. To date, financial support totaling 178,000 yuan has been allocated for the maintenance and protection of these ancient trees, ensuring their continued health amid potential threats from human activity and pests.
The ancient oil tea grove continues to flourish, providing benefits to local residents for generations. The grove stretches for several kilometers and supports 291 households across five communities in Ma Dong Village—San Tang, Ban Ma, Ba Cun, Dong Jiang, and Nong Zhang. During the poverty alleviation initiative, the local government implemented financial assistance and technical guidance to develop the oil tea tree industry, improving the livelihoods of villagers. Notably, nine impoverished households in San Tang have increased their annual income by four to five thousand yuan through the cultivation of these ancient trees.
Former Party Secretary of the Ma Dong Village Committee, Liang Zhengfeng, reported that from 2018 to 2021, forestry departments invested in the low-yield ancient oil tea grove, focusing on weeding, fertilizing, and pruning. These efforts have revitalized the trees, dramatically increasing yield, with the potential to harvest approximately 450 tons of fresh oil tea fruit in peak years. Villager Li Xinying from Ban Ma now earns over 10,000 yuan annually from her family’s oil tea grove.
In August 2024, the Pingxiang government leveraged rural revitalization funds to lay down 1.46 kilometers of access road to the ancient oil tea grove, greatly facilitating the meticulous care of this precious resource and paving the way for residents to generate income in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Pingxiang Forestry Bureau Director Xie Zhixian expressed the grove’s significant scientific, aesthetic, cultural, and industrial value. He emphasized the need for collaboration among departments and enterprises to fully leverage the unique resources of the ancient oil tea grove, driving rural revitalization in southern China’s countryside.
