Shan State, Myanmar, stretches across a highland plateau defined by rolling mountains, fertile valleys and a long history of tea cultivation. The region is home to several ethnic groups, including the Palaung (Ta’ang), Shan and Pa-O peoples, many of whom share deep cultural ties to tea traditions that extend into neighboring Yunnan Province and Northern Thailand. Tea has long been woven into daily life here; for generations, families tended small plots of tea alongside fruit trees such as mango and jackfruit, cultivating leaves for household use as well as local trade.