Mengsong Tea Mountain in Menghai County, XishuangBanna

Mengsong Seven Villages

1. Baotang Old Village保塘旧寨

Yunnan is the only place in the world with contiguous ancient tea gardens.

Mengsong is one of the oldest ancient tea regions in Menghai County, and Baotang Ancient Tea Garden is the most representative of Mengsong in terms of the scale and age of its ancient tea trees.

The Lahu People’s Beliefs and the Blessings of Ancient Tea Trees

The original inhabitants of Baotang Old Village in Mengsong are the Lahu people. Most of the tea trees in the ancient tea garden were planted by the Lahu. The Lahu believe that all things have spirits and that ancient trees have souls, so they do not cut down ancient tea trees. Additionally, wax strips, tea, wine, salt, and rice are items used by the Lahu in their rituals to offer sacrifices to the gods, making tea one of the mediums through which they communicate with the divine.

In addition to the belief that all things have spirits, the preservation of this ancient tea garden is also related to the social history and production lifestyle of the Lahu. For a long time, the Lahu’s agricultural techniques were relatively primitive, and tea gardens required minimal management, so they did not cut down tea trees to plant other crops. Moreover, the limitations of their agricultural techniques prevented extensive development of the mountains, which inadvertently protected the tea gardens.

The Largest and Oldest Tea Trees in Baotang Old Village

Baotang Old Village, also known as Baotang Old Settlement, is a purely Lahu village located 1 kilometer from the New Settlement. The village is adjacent to the ancient tea garden, and the old and new tea gardens of Baotang are interconnected, covering over 1,000 acres. The tea trees are dense, ranging from those as large as a person’s hug to those as small as a bowl’s width, varying in age and resembling a natural ancient tea museum. Baotang Old Village is an ancient tea village, and it is unclear how many years of history it has. The largest and oldest ancient tea trees in Mengsong are concentrated here, with more than ten trees with a diameter exceeding 150 cm.

The “Prince Tree” of Baotang Old Village

The Baotang tea garden is one of the ancient tea gardens in the Pu’er tea region with a relatively good ecological environment. The Baotang Ancient Tea Area coexists with forest shrubs, and like the “Prince Tree” in Nanben, Baotang Old Village also has a “Prince Tree” at an altitude of 1836.3 meters, with the thickest part of the tree measuring 1.83 meters.

Rare Intimacy and Awe-Inspired Isolation

When looking up at the ancient tea trees in the Baotang Ancient Tea Garden, they seem to accompany the blue sky and white clouds. When looking down, they are deeply rooted in the soil, surrounded by yellow earth. The ancient tea trees are tall enough to enjoy exclusive sunlight, which enhances their aroma. Their long stems and thick leaves result in a pronounced sweetness, giving Baotang tea a distinctive identity and earning it the reputation of having “high aroma and sweet water.”

Ancient tea trees connect people with one another and with culture. To truly enjoy the cup of tea with high aroma and sweet water, one must approach the ancient trees with rare intimacy and awe-inspired separation.

2. Baotang New Village保塘新寨

Baotang New Village, a settlement born from tea

Baotang is divided into Old Village and New Village. Baotang New Village is a settlement that originated from tea. Although it is a Han village, it has a history of over 100 years as an ancient tea village.

Baotang New Village: A Han Village with a Century-Old Tea Garden

In Yunnan, tea villages with ancient tea gardens are often inhabited by ethnic minorities, but Baotang New Village in Mengsong is an exception, being a Han village. When the Han people arrived here during the Qing Guangxu period, they undoubtedly came in search of tea. The Han villagers of Baotang New Village say that when their ancestors arrived, there were already large tea gardens.

The taste and flavor of the ancient tree tea from Baotang New Village and Old Village are very similar to those of Da’an tea. The tea has a strong aroma, with intense salivation and a powerful aftertaste. In places with contiguous ancient tea gardens, the well-preserved vegetation and perfect ecological conditions give the ancient tree tea a distinct and powerful wild character.

Naka那卡

Historical Famous Tea, Comparable to Ban Zhang

Naka ancient tree tea is one of the most representative teas in the Mengsong tea region. The village of Naka is well-known for producing high-quality ancient tree tea.

Naka: The Lahu Name and Its Historical Reputation

Naka is a Lahu village in the Damanlu Village Committee of Mengsong Tea Region in Menghai County. The name Naka is a transliteration of the Lahu language and can also be written as Naka, Lakha, or Naka. Before the old Ban Zhang in Banna became well-known, the most famous teas in the Menghai tea region were Naka tea and Nan Nuo tea.

Among the ancient tree teas in the Mengsong tea region, Baotang has the largest and most robust trees, while Naka is the most renowned. Naka ancient tree tea is the most representative tea of the Mengsong tea mountains, located to the east of Huazhuliangzi Mountain. The village has over 600 acres of contiguous ancient tree tea gardens, with tea trees aged between 300 and 500 years.

Small and Medium Leaves, Rare in Menghai

In the Naka ancient tea garden, both small and medium leaf varieties grow together, with a significant proportion of small-leaf varieties. This is extremely rare in the Menghai tea region, which is known for its large-leaf varieties!

Imperial Tribute Tea: Unique to Naka

Historical records indicate that as early as the Qing Dynasty, Naka tea was renowned and was regularly presented as tribute to the “Cheli Xuanwei Mansion.” According to historical accounts, Naka’s bamboo tube tea was even designated as tribute tea by the King of Myanmar, highlighting the exceptional quality and reputation of Naka tea.

Exceptional Quality Growing in Rocky Soil

The growth environment of the Naka ancient tea garden is characterized by a multitude of loose stones under the tea trees, typical of ancient tree teas growing in rocky crevices. Lu Yu’s “The Classic of Tea” states that the best tea trees grow in rocky or gravelly soil, and this is supported by the famous Wuyi rock tea as an example.

Famous Bamboo Tube Tea Unique to Naka

While many ethnic minorities in Yunnan make bamboo tube tea, only the Lahu people of Naka have made it famous and become renowned for their bamboo tube tea!

The Lahu people of Naka have long had the custom of making bamboo tube tea. Naka bamboo tube tea was famous as early as the Qing Dynasty and was presented as tribute tea annually to the “Cheli Xuanwei Mansion.”

No Appearance Like Ban Zhang, but with a Character Like Small Ban Zhang

Tasting Naka large tree tea, it lacks the aroma of Jingmai and the softness of Yiwuzhi, but it carries a hint of bitterness from the old Ban Zhang and the astringency from the Gulong River, with a subtle presence of Ban Zhang’s powerful character. It is no wonder that locals refer to it as “Small Ban Zhang”!

Naka tea has its unique, long-lasting sweetness and a smooth, sweet entry, making it suitable for a wide range of tastes. The first sip of Naka tea reveals a rich, smooth, and throat-soothing brew. The bitterness is short-lived, with a strong and lasting sweet aftertaste. The aroma is high, and the tea’s color is clear and bright. Drinking this tea helps one understand the meaning of “suffering leads to sweetness,” much like life itself.

Daan大安

Mengsong Ancient Tea Gardens: Daan Village

Mengsong tea region is widely known for its ancient tea gardens, with the most famous being Naka and Baotang. However, the largest ancient tea tree resource is found in Xiada’an Village (also known as Lower Daan), a Blang ethnic administrative village with a tea garden area of 1,300 acres. The tea trees in this area are scattered amidst lush mixed forests, with a density of 147 trees per acre, and they range in age from 100 to 300 years, growing as small arbor trees.

Blang Ethnicity and Ancient Tea Gardens

Most of the ancient tea gardens in Mengsong are cultivated by the Lahu ethnic group, with many Lahu villages nearby. However, there are also scattered Hani, Blang, and Han villages around some ancient tea gardens. Daan is a typical Blang village.

The Blang people are known as one of the earliest tea cultivators. Wherever they reside, there are ancient tea gardens and thousand-year-old tea trees. Although the Blang people’s migration history to Daan is unclear, their profound reverence for tea trees has led to the creation of Mengsong’s largest ancient tea garden and the exceptional quality of Daan’s ancient tree tea.

Mengsong tea is renowned for its high altitude and the tea trees’ growth on windward ridges, known for its high fragrance and sweet water. However, Daan tea is distinctive for its intense flavor, strong tea aroma, prominent bitterness, and long-lasting sweetness, with a refreshing throat sensation.

Nanben南本

Tea Tree Known as the “Prince” at 1920 Meters

Some say Mengsong tea mountains lack large-scale ancient tea gardens, but this is not entirely accurate. In places like Baotang, Xiada’an, and Nanben, there are extensive ancient tea gardens.

Nanben is located in the southeastern part of Mengsong, originally a Lahu village. During the late Qing Dynasty, Han settlers moved to Nanben, and it has since become a predominantly Han village. Nanben is divided into old and new villages.

The larger ancient tea gardens in Nanben include Daqi Garden, Shuigutou, and Daniuquan. In the old village of Nanben, at an altitude of 1920 meters, there is a 6-meter-tall, 1.25-meter-wide ancient tea tree, known locally as the “Prince of Nanben.”

Nanben’s ancient tree tea is characterized by its old age and high altitude. Although its aroma is not as enduring as Naka’s, its sweetness and delicacy are superior, with a rich high fragrance that includes honey and orchid notes, and a deep and complex flavor profile.

Damanlu大曼吕

The Most Beautiful Blang Village in Xishuangbanna

Damanlu, located about 40 kilometers from Mengsong Township and about 5 kilometers from Naka, is a village with a diverse ethnic composition, including Han, Lahu, Blang, and Dai people. The Blang village has preserved its traditional stilted architecture, with wooden houses built along the slope and intricately layered roofs that are aesthetically pleasing. The clear streams, lush bamboo forests, and harmonious integration of people and nature create a tranquil and serene atmosphere.

At an altitude of around 1460 meters, Damanlu’s tea trees range from 100 to 400 years in age. The area is rich in minerals and has an excellent ecological environment conducive to the growth of ancient tea trees. In the 1980s and 1990s, well-known tea purchasing stations existed here, and many of the raw materials for Da Yi Pu’er tea came from Damanlu.

Similar to Naka’s Fragrance, Pursuing Nan Nuo’s Sweetness

Damanlu tea is known for its superior flavor, close to Naka’s fragrance and reminiscent of Nan Nuo’s sweetness. The local Blang people are experienced tea makers, and their Pu’er tea is highly sought after, often described as “close to Naka’s fragrance and pursuing Nan Nuo’s sweetness.” The tea has a strong aroma, rich mountain flavor, noticeable bitterness, strong sweetness, and a deep throat sensation. Damanlu tea maintains the smooth, fine characteristics of Mengsong tea, reflecting the rich mountain flavor of Menghai with a full-bodied yet refreshing profile.

Bameng坝檬

High Mountains Cannot Conceal Its Quality; Tea’s Reputation Spreads

Menghai, known as “China’s Pu’er Tea Capital,” boasts not only numerous tea factories, tea experts, and tea trees but also a wealth of renowned tea mountains and ancient tea gardens. Among these, the most famous are the Bulang Mountain, Nannuo Mountain, and Mengsong Mountain. Nannuo Mountain, being the preferred site for tea production since the Republic of China era, was already well-known for its tea. Mengsong, on the other hand, served as an essential raw material base for Menghai tea factories, and many of the raw materials for Da Yi Pu’er tea were sourced from Damanlu at that time, with costs being quite low. Yet, the high mountains could not conceal the tea’s quality; its reputation gradually spread, bringing recognition to Mengsong’s Naka, Baotang, Nanben, and others.

Huazhu Liangzi滑竹梁子: Actually Refers to Baming

Most people’s understanding of Mengsong tea starts with three renowned varieties: the well-known Naka tea, the coarsest and largest Baotang tea, and the tea from Huazhu Liangzi, located at the pinnacle of Xishuangbanna.

Mengsong tea mountains feature a unique wild bamboo that grows in clusters, characterized by its thick, cup-like, and smooth segments, locally called “Huazhu” (sometimes translated as “birch bamboo”). The ancient tea gardens in Mengsong are scattered, but the remaining ancient tea gardens are mainly concentrated around Naka, Nanben, Damanlu, Banglong, and Baotang villages, with the highest-altitude and closest-to-the-peak tea garden being Baming. Baming Village, located northwest of Baotang, is a Aini ethnic village. The Baming ancient tea garden is contiguous with the Baotang tea garden and is referred to as the “Huazhu Liangzi Big Tea Garden.” Thus, the tea from Huazhu Liangzi specifically refers to the tea from the Baming ancient tea garden.

Baming’s Characteristics

Among the villages around Huazhu Liangzi, Baming has a higher altitude and a greater density of ancient tea trees. In contrast, villages such as Baotang, Banglong, Banggang, and Menglongzhang have lower altitudes and less dense ancient tea trees. Although Baotang’s ancient tea trees are the most robust and were famous earlier, Baotang tea is relatively scarce. Consequently, many businesses initially promoted Huazhu Liangzi tea under the Baotang name. It wasn’t until recent years, with the rise of online communication and intense market competition, that the other villages’ teas began to gain recognition. This led to a trend where many teas were collectively referred to as Huazhu Liangzi tea.

Baming’s ancient tea garden, due to its high altitude and dense tea tree population, stands out as a significant representative of the region’s tea heritage, offering a distinguished and high-quality tea experience.