Bangdong Tea Plantations in Linxiang District, Lincang

Chinese Name: 临沧邦东茶山
English Name: Bangdong Tea Plantations in Linxiang District, Lincang
ADD:临沧市临翔区邦东乡

Overview of Bangdong Township

Bangdong Township is located in the southern extension of the Nu Mountains, belonging to the southern part of the Hengduan Mountain range’s deep-cut mid-mountain narrow valleys. The terrain features high elevations in the north and lower elevations in the south, with the highest point reaching 3,429 meters and the lowest point at 730 meters, resulting in a relative elevation difference of 2,699 meters.

Climate

The region features a distinct vertical climate, with an average annual temperature ranging from 17°C to 20°C, an average annual precipitation of 1,217.8 millimeters, and a relative humidity of 72.5%.

Ancient Tea Gardens

The ancient tea gardens in Bangdong Township are mainly distributed across seven administrative villages: Bangdong, Mangang, Bangbao, Heping, Zhangzhen, Weiping, and Tuanshan. The elevations of these tea gardens range from 730 to 2,180 meters. The largest area is found in Bangdong Administrative Village, covering 2,810 mu (approximately 187 acres), spread across 10 village groups: Xigui, Huangtian, Bangdong, Mangmai, Lijia, Manglai, Wujia, Nakan, Xiahexin, and Shanghexin.

Notable Pu’er Tea Production Areas

In terms of well-known Pu’er tea production areas in Lincang, at least two are notable: Mengku Town in Shuangjiang County and Bangdong Township in the Linxiang District. In some contexts, these two production areas are often overshadowed by the names of their most famous administrative villages or village groups—Bingdao for the former and Xigui for the latter. Xigui is merely one of the ten village groups under Bangdong Administrative Village, while the total area of ancient tea gardens in Bangdong Township is approximately 7,745 mu, with Xigui accounting for less than one-fifth of that.

Unique Geography and Environment

Bangdong is situated in the middle reaches of the Lancang River in Yunnan, characterized by high elevations and a landscape of towering mountains and deep valleys. The region exhibits a phenomenon where one mountain can present four seasons and ten miles can feature different weather. The imposing mountains and the meandering river create a cloud and mist-filled environment, with Bangdong’s vast sea of clouds being truly spectacular.

Characteristics of Tea Trees

The most significant characteristic of the Bangdong tea region is the unique growing environment for the tea trees, along with the rocky terrain, where many ancient tea trees thrive among the rocks.

Notable Ancient Tea Tree

The oldest cultivated ancient tea tree in Bangdong Township stands at 4.1 meters tall, with a trunk circumference of 0.75 meters and a spread of 5 meters by 4.7 meters, growing in the courtyard of Li Wencai’s home at an elevation of 1,659 meters in the Lijia group. This ancient tea tree faced hardships in the past two years due to nearby construction that may have damaged its eastern roots. When Li Heimei first took me to see it in early spring 2013, the eastern branches were already wilted, showing almost no buds or green leaves. On the wall of the nearby house facing that side, someone had scribbled sizable words suggesting “thousand years” and “king.” Li Heimei is a middle-aged Han man named Li Chunhua, a local from Lijia, and has been involved in tea processing for many years. The term “Heimei” is said to stem from his youthful appearance being too delicate.

Conclusion

Bangdong Township, located in the southern part of the Hengduan Mountain range’s deep-cut mid-mountain narrow valleys, features a typical high mountain gorge with significant elevation differences. The area covers 223.86 square kilometers, predominantly mountainous, and exhibits three climate zones: a cool temperate zone, a moderate zone, and a humid hot zone. Most ancient tea gardens are distributed within the moderate zone at elevations between 1,300 and 2,100 meters, while the ancient tea gardens in Xigui village group of Bangdong Administrative Village are an exception, found below 1,300 meters along the humid hot zone by the Lancang River, which is quite rare in Yunnan’s tea regions.

Types of Tea in Bangdong Township

The tea varieties in Bangdong Township can be categorized into three types: wild, domesticated, and introduced. In 1982, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences’ Tea Research Institute and Yunnan Province’s Tea Research Institute conducted an investigation into tea variety resources in Lincang County, where the large-leaf tea from Bangdong Township was recognized as an excellent variety. In December 1987, the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Standardization proposed that the large-leaf tea population from Mangang Village in Bangdong Township be approved by the Yunnan Provincial Bureau of Standards and Measurement as a local standard tea tree variety: Bangdong Black Large Leaf Tea DB/5300 and B35009-87.

Introduced Varieties

Among the introduced varieties, one notable national excellent variety is the Mengku large-leaf tea. This variety has been incorporated into the ancient tea gardens on Manglu Mountain in the Xigui group, along with the “vines tea,” which is part of Mengku’s “tea garden horticulture.” Besides self-owned and leased tea gardens, some tea farmers familiar with Li Heimei have their tea leaves processed and sold by him. For example, 37-year-old He Enlin entrusts the fresh leaves produced from his over 300 ancient tea trees to Li Heimei for processing into sun-dried green tea.

Traditional Tea Processing Techniques

The traditional process for making sun-dried green tea in Bangdong Township involves picking fresh leaves, pan-frying them in an iron pot to kill the green, and then placing them on a bamboo mat. The leaves are hand-rolled into strips and sun-dried to complete the process. For ease of transport, the dried tea is steamed to soften it and then wrapped in gauze and twisted into round tea cakes.

In 1957, the Lincang County Tea Factory was established to meet the tea-making needs of the factory. The government encouraged and supported tea farmers to promote tea production tailored to local conditions. Subsequently, tea processing facilities were established in various districts and townships, with 20 technicians hired from Jiangxi, Anhui, Hunan, and Fengqing to provide technical guidance in these areas.

Establishment of Processing Facilities

Tea processing facilities were successively established in each village of Bangdong Township, where fresh tea was purchased locally and processed into red毛茶 (hairy tea). The introduction of mechanical tea rolling replaced manual operations. Fresh leaves were softened in a pan, spread out to dissipate heat, and then placed in rolling machines to be shaped into strips, which were either sun-dried or roasted before being sent to the Lincang Tea Factory for further processing.

Afterward, the main products included sun-dried green tea, pan-fried green tea, and roasted green tea, followed by red tea, round tea, and honey tea. After 1990, external investors participated in establishing a tea processing factory in Bangbao Village, Bangdong Township, producing Xue Shan brand Xigui series steamed enzyme tea. Additionally, there was a small-scale private operation for refined tea buds sold externally. In recent years, the main products have focused on initial processing of sun-dried green tea and red tea.

Ancient Tea Gardens Growing Among Rocks

The environment is an important factor for the growth of tea trees. As a famous region for Yunnan rock tea, the Bangdong tea area is characterized by the coexistence of tea and stone, where tea grows among rocks, creating a rich and rustic atmosphere. The phrase “chaotic stones form formations, thousands of teas become forests” describes the unique geographical landscape of this region.

The tea gardens in Bangdong have deep soil layers with plenty of sandy and rocky terrain. The soil is rich in humus and loose, nurturing tea with rich and harmonious qualities, resulting in exceptional quality that captures the essence and charm of ancient tea.

A Unique Bangdong Tea Nurtured by a Good Ecological Environment

Bangdong has often been compared to a giant, described as “with the Great Snow Mountain above and the Lancang River below.” This excellent ecological environment has given birth to the organic and locally renowned Bangdong tea.

The ecological environment has significant impacts on Bangdong: the Great Snow Mountain contributes to abundant rainfall due to its climatic influence, while the Lancang River Valley leads to consistently high temperatures. The morning and evening mists provide an ideal growing environment for the ancient tea trees.

In the Bangdong tea area, the terrain has significant elevation differences, with clear vertical distribution. The trees benefit from around 10 hours of sunlight per day, combined with high temperatures and abundant rainfall, creating a favorable growth environment. The tea trees grow robustly, exhibiting a unique light aroma and cool flavor.

As the saying goes, “High mountain clouds produce good tea.” The ancient tea trees, nourished year-round by the local mist and sunlight, develop a distinctive “rock charm” characteristic of Yunnan rock tea. The flavor is full-bodied with layers of complexity, featuring rich floral notes and an elegant, ethereal mountain essence.

Bangdong Xigui Tea

Bangdong Xigui tea has a long cultivation history, dating back to before 1066 AD, when the earliest inhabitants of Lincang, known as the Puh people, began cultivating tea. Archaeological evidence from the “Old Bangdong Neolithic Site” and the “Xigui Neolithic Site” suggests that the Puh people were among the earliest human inhabitants in the area.

The production area of Bangdong Xigui tea is located in Manglu Mountain, which is home to historical tea communities. According to the “Lincang County Chronicles,” Bangdong Township included settlements such as Manglu and Xigui in a 1932 list of villages. Interviews reveal that 150 years ago, some ancestors of Xigui villagers lived in Manglu Mountain, predominantly belonging to the Dai ethnic group. The tea leaves were primarily sold as round tea (commonly known as “human head tea”).

The production process for Bangdong Xigui tea round tea has been classified as a “provincial intangible cultural heritage.” The process involves steaming sun-dried tea leaves in a bamboo basket until soft, then wrapping them in new cloth and shaping them into round cakes to cool.

According to tests by the Lincang Quality Technical Supervision Bureau’s Tea Product Quality Testing Center, the content of Bangdong Xigui steamed tea containing one bud and two leaves includes: 32.5% tea polyphenols, 2.88% caffeine, 45.0% water extract, and 4.11% total free amino acids. The sun-dried tea made from Bangdong Xigui features tightly rolled leaves with complete buds, a plump appearance, an oily color, yellow-green soup, rich aroma, and a full-bodied flavor. The steamed green tea has compact leaves with a dark green color, bright yellow-green soup, rich aroma, intense flavor with a sweet aftertaste, and thick, tender leaves. The produced Gongfu black tea has a deep, lustrous color with golden tips and a rich, fresh flavor, complemented by a bright red soup with a golden halo.

The domesticated large-leaf tea from Bangdong Xigui has been recognized as one of the national excellent large-leaf varieties, specifically the Bangdong Black Large Leaf Tea.

A Detailed Exploration of Lincang’s “Bangdong Rock Tea”

When it comes to rock tea, the first name that springs to mind is naturally “Wuyi Rock Tea.” This is understandable; however, the stage of rock tea is never lacking in vibrant and brilliant varieties, such as the renowned Pu’er teas “Xigui” and “Nahkan,” both of which are produced in Bangdong. Today, we will focus on “Bangdong Rock Tea.”

Scenic Beauty of Bangdong

Bangdong is a township located north of Lincang City. As one travels towards it, the majestic mountains and the vast Lancang River create a breathtaking landscape. The Great Snow Mountain looms above, shrouded in mist and cloud, presenting ever-changing weather patterns. The scenery here is a harmonious blend of mountains and water, with seas of clouds cascading across the horizon. The view evokes a sense of admiration, reminiscent of Song Yu’s description of the “Goddess”: “When she first arrives, she shines like the morning sun illuminating the eaves; as she gradually progresses, she glows like the bright moon spreading its light.”

Upon arriving in Bangdong, one can take a leisurely walk and appreciate the lush vegetation, with towering ancient trees reaching heights of five to six meters. Along the more than 20-kilometer stretch of road from Old Bangdong Village to Mangang Village, tea forests intermingle with the surrounding landscape. This area is known for its three wonders:

1. Majestic Trees: Tall ancient trees with roots embedded in solid rock, living in symbiosis.
2. Stunning Peaks: Towering mountains enveloped in clouds and mist, with unique rock formations and jagged cliffs.
3. Xigui and Nahkan Teas: Fresh, mellow flavors that embody the unique “rock charm” of Bangdong, complemented by the fragrance of orchids.

The natural beauty of Bangdong preserves the fleeting youth of ancient tea trees, capturing the essence of the mountains and valleys that have shaped its character. In this seemingly ordinary place, one can discover profound flavors that combine bitterness with refreshing aromas, giving birth to the distinctive regional characteristics of Bangdong tea, known for its “rock charm and floral fragrance.”

Cultural and Historical Significance

Bangdong not only boasts stunning landscapes but also a rich historical and cultural background that captivates visitors. Many travelers and poets come here, not only to cultivate their artistic sensibilities but also to experience the local tea culture.

The variety of tea trees in Bangdong is extensive. According to statistics from the “Lincang Chronicles,” the township is home to wild, domesticated, and introduced tea types. Wild tea varieties include red-flowered camellia, red mountain tea, small red-flower tea, small white-flower camellia, large tree tea, fragrant leaf tea, small-leaved tea, leatherleaf tea, small mountain tea, and old bitter tea, among more than ten types. Among these, the largest tea tree is located in Bangdong Manggan, standing 9.94 meters tall with a canopy of 60.5 square meters and a trunk circumference of 1.45 meters, estimated to be around 250 years old, yielding an average of 250 kilograms of fresh leaves annually.

The ancient teas of Bangdong are known for their refreshing qualities and ability to withstand multiple infusions, with Manglu Mountain producing the finest varieties. The “Mian County Chronicles” states that there are approximately six to seven thousand households engaged in tea cultivation in the county, with Bangdong’s Manlu and Xigui being particularly notable. Manlu tea is acclaimed for its exceptional color and flavor, surpassing that of other tea-producing regions. The “Lincang County Chronicles” highlights Manglu tea’s outstanding reputation: “The more valuable initial production green teas are Manglu tea and Xiaoguang Mountain tea. Manglu tea, produced in Bangdong’s Manglu Village, has a high concentration and clarity, is durable, and leaves a refreshing aftertaste.”

Bangdong Rock Tea thus stands as a testament to the region’s rich natural resources and cultural heritage, making it a true gem in the world of tea.