Mansong Tea Plantation in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna

Chinese Name: 曼松贡茶
English Name: Mansong Tea Plantation in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna
ADD:云南省西双版纳州勐腊县象明彝族乡

Mansong Village
Mansong Village is located in the Manmai Village Committee of Meng’a Town, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. The village covers an area of 0.59 square kilometers, with an elevation of 1,067 meters. The average annual temperature is 18.9 °C, and the annual precipitation is 1,353.7 mm. The primary source of income for the villagers is agriculture.

The Mansong Tribute Tea area is classified as one of the six ancient tea mountains. It is situated in the Yibang ethnic township, where the local tea is renowned, particularly for its Mansong tea, which is said to be the best. There is a saying that “to taste Mansong tea is to see Yibang.” In ancient times, the emperor designated Mansong tea from the five major tea mountains as tribute tea, rejecting tea from other villages. Mansong tea is thick and flavorful, with a sweet and fragrant taste that refreshes the mind.

Introduction to Mansong Tribute Tea
Mansong Village is a famous production area for tribute tea, which differs from ordinary tribute tea as it is specifically reserved for the emperor. Historical records indicate that the emperor designated Mansong tea as tribute tea, rejecting tea from other villages. Mansong tea is known for its rich flavor and aroma, leaving drinkers feeling clear-headed. As a result, tea farmers from other mountains would purchase Mansong tea to present to the emperor.

According to legend, during the Ming Dynasty’s Chenghua period, local officials discovered that Mansong tea had an exceptional appearance, fragrance, and flavor. When brewed, it “stands upright and does not fall,” which led them to present it to Emperor Xianzong through court officials, symbolizing “the stability of the Great Ming Empire.” After tasting it, Emperor Xianzong praised the tea and designated Mansong tea as royal tribute tea. This tradition continued into the Qing Dynasty, and Mansong tea remained exclusively for royal tribute.

The Mansong Royal Tea Garden is located in the Xiangming Yi Ethnic Township and consists of three areas: Prince Mountain, Back Shade Mountain, and another tea garden near a Dai village close to Manla. Today, there are very few ancient royal tea trees, and the unique technique of brewing “standing tea” has not been passed down. However, the ancient charm of Mansong tea, known for its “high aroma and sweet flavor,” still endures. Despite the limited production of spring tea each year, tea enthusiasts continue to flock to the area, filling the mountain roads with vehicles as they make their way to the village.

Historical and Cultural Background of Mansong Tribute Tea
Pu’er tea is produced in six tea mountains: Youle, Gedeng, Yibang, Mangzhi, Manzhuan (brick), and Mansai, with Yibang and Manzhuan being noted for their superior taste. Among the local teas, Mansong tea is regarded as the best, leading to the saying, “To taste Mansong is to see Yibang.”

Legends of Mansong Tribute Tea
The popular concept of “Zhengshan” (meaning “true mountain”) originally stems from “Mansong Tribute Tea Zhengshan.” This idea is linked to two legends surrounding Mansong’s famous “Prince Mountain.”

Mansong has one renowned “Prince Mountain,” but there are two legends associated with it.

The first, which is more widely known, recounts that during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, Wu Sangui defeated the Southern Ming general Li Dingguo. As the Southern Ming family scattered, a 16-year-old prince managed to escape capture with the help of a servant, fleeing to Mansong to seek refuge with the grandson of the Tribute Tea King. To protect the young prince, the Tribute Tea King’s family falsely claimed he was their “adopted son suffering from a strange illness” and moved to the Sijia Zhai village for safety. After the prince’s death, the grandson of the Tribute Tea King revealed his true identity to the people of Mansong, explaining that the boy was Prince Zhu Youlang of the Southern Ming. They buried him at the top of the mountain and even dug a protective moat around his grave. Thus, the mountain became known as “Prince Mountain.”

However, some locals who claim to know Mansong’s history well enjoy discussing a “second version” of the story regarding “Prince Mountain.” They suggest that the “prince” buried there is likely a prince of the Nanzhao Kingdom. They believe that the Nanzhao kings, from their ancestor Xinuoluo to the last ruler Shunhua, reigned for 165 years through more than ten generations. The Nanzhao Kingdom controlled regions that now include all of Yunnan, parts of Guizhou, Sichuan, Tibet, as well as areas in Vietnam and Myanmar, necessitating the dispatch of envoys to govern various territories. At the time of the Nanzhao Kingdom, the area where Mansong is located was not considered remote. Zheng Maisi, a powerful minister of Nanzhao, launched military campaigns from the Tonghai and Yuanjiang regions, suggesting that the route taken by the fleeing Nanzhao prince would likely have been from Jingdong and Pu’er to Yibang, and then south along the river valleys to Mansong, an area inhabited by the Yi people. From the perspective of surname evolution, the Nanzhao royal family originally bore the surname Meng. After the kingdom fell, they adopted the surnames Zuo and Luo (which sounds similar to “Luo”). Most people in Mansong are from the Xiangtang clan, predominantly surnamed Luo and Li. The Li surname was associated with officials during the Nanzhao period and frequently intermarried with the Meng royal family.

Therefore, it is plausible that the Nanzhao prince escaped to Mansong, both in terms of geographical routes and ethnic relations.

The true identity of the prince buried on Prince Mountain may be difficult for historians to verify. However, the legend of the “prince” highlights the long history of Mansong Tribute Tea. The tea history represented by “Prince Mountain” extends beyond the Ming and Qing Dynasties, likely tracing back to the Nanzhao Kingdom during the Tang Dynasty when “local tributes” were already established. Mansong continues to write its new legends, with clusters of white miscanthus flowers swaying around the prince’s grave—are they a tribute or a hope? In the ancient tea gardens of Prince Mountain and Back Shade Mountain, the ancient tea horse road quietly lies among the mountains, and the sounds of jingling bells and horse neighs from the past have become tales of yesterday.

Origin of Mansong Tribute Tea
Origins in the Ming Dynasty
During the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, local officials went to the capital to pay tribute, selecting teas from the six major tea mountains. They ultimately discovered that Mansong tea was exceptional in color, aroma, and flavor, and when brewed with hot water, it had the remarkable quality of “standing upright.” Thus, they sent it to the imperial court via pack horses. Emperor Xianzong, having tasted this tea, praised it highly and immediately designated it as the exclusive “tribute tea” for the court.

To ensure the quality of Mansong tea, the Ming Dynasty appointed Ye from Yibang as the local chieftain, specifically responsible for the production and processing of “Mansong Standing Tribute Tea.” Ye then appointed Li, the headman of Mansong, to manage the operation. Through years of effort, Li successfully scaled up the production of “Standing Tribute Tea,” earning him the title of “Tribute Tea King.”

Glory and Decline in the Qing Dynasty
In the Qing Dynasty, a man named Cao Dangzhai became the ruler of Yibang, leading Mansong Tribute Tea into a period of glory. Every February, when the tea buds began to sprout, the headman of Mansong was tasked with gathering the tribute tea, which was categorized into bud tea, flower tea, and daughter tea. During this time, all merchants were prohibited from entering the mountains. The Mansong tea gardens officially became “royal tea gardens” (tribute tea gardens).

The royal tea gardens consisted of three areas: Prince Mountain in Mansong, Back Shade Mountain, and a nearby Dai village close to Manla (which was fewer in number).

The Bittersweet Tears of Mansong Tribute Tea
The most notable characteristic of Mansong Tribute Tea is its sweet and smooth flavor. When consumed, it is sweet in the mouth and throat, akin to drinking honey water. However, the sweetness of Mansong Tribute Tea did not bring the villagers the happiness of honey. By the late Qing Dynasty, the tribute tea quota was too demanding—around 300 dan (100 for the royal family and 200 requested by various officials)—which led tea farmers to cut down and burn most of their tea trees. Some families fled and never returned to Mansong village. In 1942, Yibang faced another disaster when the Youle Uprising struck, and the town was engulfed in flames for three days and nights, reducing centuries-old buildings to ashes. This catastrophe drained Yibang of its vitality, and hundreds of families migrated elsewhere, leaving the once vibrant town gradually forgotten in the depths of the mountains. Decades later, only about 30 households remain in Yibang, mostly descendants of tea merchants who continue to guard their ancestral tea gardens, unwilling to leave. (Mansong is a village in the ancient tea mountains of Yibang.) Drinking the incredibly sweet Mansong Tribute Tea, tears fill their hearts.

Lush mountains and a blue sky envelop Mansong village, where the once-thriving tribute tea gardens now show no signs of robust ancient tea trees. Among the nearly ten thousand acres of Mansong tea gardens, only a few dozen ancient tea trees remain, some with a circumference of over 60 centimeters at the base, yet the main branches have been reduced to 11 small tea plants.

This once-glorious ancient tea garden has fallen into decline, akin to the plundered prince’s grave, which is a painful sight.

However, it is comforting to see that local visionaries are selectively propagating the ancient Mansong tea tree varieties using sparse planting methods in a fully ecological manner, cultivating over ten thousand acres of Mansong tea. The lives of the villagers in the tribute tea village are gradually being transformed by the revival of tea culture, and tomorrow will bring new vitality. What I hear and see here is not only a poignant ancient legend and lush green tea gardens. Behind Mansong tea lies the shadow of Xishuangbanna’s tea culture, a fresh chapter written in tea.

Detailed Introduction to Mansong Tribute Tea

Origin
Mansong originally belonged to the jurisdiction of the first township in Yibang District. Historically, it had an old village inhabited by the Xiang Tang ethnic group, known for their tea cultivation skills. Due to the high quality of Mansong tea, it was designated as tribute tea, with an annual yield of 100 dan, earning it a widespread reputation. This not only brought glory to the Yibang area but also promoted local tea production and sales. The new Mansong village and Mansong River (at an altitude of 870 meters) are situated near the summit of Mansong Mountain, known as “Prince Mountain,” named after a prince with the surname Zhu who once lived there.

Today, due to various factors, the production of Mansong tea has significantly diminished. Only a few large-leaf tea trees can be found sparsely growing around the old residence of the prince. The vibrant atmosphere of the past has become history, and the remnants of the prince’s old site consist of just a few foundational stone platforms. Geographically, Mansong is located at 22°N latitude and 101°E longitude, with an altitude of 1,375 meters. The annual production of Mansong Tribute Tea is extremely limited; according to locals, it is only about 10 kilograms, making it a top-tier delicacy within the Pu’er tea category.

Variety
Mansong Tribute Tea features mature leaves with eight pairs of leaf veins, representing a standard medium-leaf variety.

Processing
Mansong Tribute Tea follows the traditional processing techniques of Yunnan Pu’er tea.

Characteristics
The most notable feature of Mansong Tribute Tea is its sweetness and smoothness. When consumed, it has a sweet taste in the mouth and throat, akin to drinking honey water. It provides a warm and robust tea essence; even a small amount can induce a feeling of warmth in the body, which sets it apart from teas from other mountains, truly embodying a royal flavor. Historical records, such as the Pu’er Prefecture Gazetteer from the Daoguang era, indicate that starting from the 13th year of the Yongzheng reign (1735), Pu’er tea was collected by the local official from Yibang, and Mansong tea was designated as the emperor’s special tea.

Local Customs
The main ethnic group in Mansong is the Xiang Tang, a branch of the Yi nationality. Unlike tea farmers from other ancient tea mountains who warmly welcome guests, the local people in Mansong may feel tense around unfamiliar visitors and are not accustomed to interacting with outsiders. There is also a notable presence of descendants from Sichuan and Shiping regions.

Current Situation and Changes in Mansong

In 2006, Mansong village did not have electricity, with only the village chief’s home equipped with a satellite television. By 2005, a businessman from Guangdong had leased most of the land rights in Mansong for 30 years to cultivate tea and rubber trees. At that time, each household earned about 30,000 to 50,000 yuan. However, as land became scarce, income dwindled, and the villagers of Mansong struggled to make a living.

According to locals, there are fewer than 70 ancient tea trees in Mansong, each over a hundred years old, resulting in minimal production. During my visit in the spring of 2009, the yield of ancient tree spring tea was just 15 kilograms, and in 2010, it rose slightly to 17 kilograms, with local prices ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 yuan per kilogram. Due to the high price of raw materials from ancient tree tea and the low yield, as well as the fact that these trees grow wild in the forest without supervision, any villager can pick the tea. Therefore, Mansong villagers do not disclose the locations of ancient tea trees even to relatives or neighbors. They are also reluctant to take outsiders to see the ancient tea trees and do not allow people from other villages to harvest them.

The biggest issue facing Mansong’s ancient tree tea is over-harvesting. In early spring 2010, four ancient trees were reportedly harvested to the point of death, and one more succumbed later in the spring. If this trend continues, in five years, Mansong Tribute Tea may become a thing of the past, fading into historical memory.