Since 2008, Sigley has immersed himself in the landscapes and stories of Southwest China, focusing his academic research on the Ancient Tea Horse Road and the region's rich tea trade networks.

Over the years, he has spent time with scholars, tea farmers and merchants. These experiences transformed him into what he calls a "tea traveler-scholar".

"I never had any formal education in tea culture or arts. I'm like Pu'er tea in that I absorb everything, and my knowledge ages over time," he says.

Each morning begins with a cup of Yunnan black tea — a ritual that gets his mind going and prepares him for the day.

"Tea only grows in certain areas, but many people around the world want to drink tea, so it has to move," he explains. "When the tea moves, it creates connections between production and consumption zones, which is how cultural routes like the Ancient Tea Horse Road began."