According to historical records and recent research, China is one of the origins of tobacco. It has more than one thousand years' history of planting and applying tobacco. Soon after the world tobacco industry came into being. Yunnan is the hometown of Chinese tobacco. Soon after the world to bacco industry came into being, Yunnan began to plant American tobacco on a trial in 1914. In 1939, a kind of tobacco called Jinyuan from America was successfully planted in Yunnan. in 1953, at the Inter?national Tobacco Conference held in Xuchang of Henan Province, Yunnan tobacco was highly applauded for its golden color, fragrant aroma, mild effeet and pure taste. From then on, tobacco has been planted in Yunnan on a large scale. And Yunnan is reputed as "the Hometown of Yunnan Tobac?co" for its excellent quality. Yunnan tobacco is the raw material for the tobacoo industry in Yunnan. In addition, it has been exported and also applied as ingredients for the tobacco industry within die rest of China.

The tobacco industry in Yunnan developed with that of the world. In 1922, Yu Jinhou, a man from Mojiang County, founded the Asian J|| Tobacco Company in Kunming and set up the first cigarette factory, in Yunnan, producing cigarettes with the brand the Daguan Pavilion and "Chongjiu". After the 1980s, Yunnan tobacco experienced its fast growing period, with Yuxi Cigarette Factory and Kunming Cigarette Factory as the representatives. Yuxi Cigarette Factory has become the best cigarette factory in Asia. In 1988, of the 13 most famous cigarette brands in China, nine are from Yunnan, namely " Hongtashan", "Ashima" , "Gonghe Xinxi"( Happy New Year) and "Yuxi" of Yuxi Cigarette Factory; "Yunyan", " Hongshancha" (Red Camellia), "Chahua"(Camellia) and "Dachongjiu" of Kunming Cigarette Factory, and "Shilin"(the Stone Forest) of Qujing Cigarette Factory. They en?joy great popularity among consumers and some are exported to Europe, Mid—Eastern Asian countries, Japan and Southeast Asian countries.