Xinbanzhang Tea Plantation in Menghai County, Xishaungbanna
Chinese Name: 勐海新班章茶区
English Name: Xinbanzhang Tea Plantation in Menghai County, XishaungBanna
Keywords: Xinbanzhang Tea Plantation in Menghai County, tea culture tour, XishaungBanna attractions, things to do in XishaungBanna Menghai
Location: Banzhang Village of Bulangshan Town in Menghai County, XishaungBanna
Admission Fee: Free
Opening Hours: All the day
Geographical Location
Bulangshan is fully and officially named Bulangshan Bulang Autonomous Township because most of the residents here belong to the Bulang ethnic minority. It is called home by over 10,000 Bulang ethnic members and 3,000 Hani ethnic members-among whom the Bulangs account for about 30% of the total Bulang ethnic population of Xishuangbanna Prefecture.
Deep within the mountains of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, lie numerous ancient tea gardens that have been flourishing for over a thousand years. Influenced by factors such as altitude, soil composition, and moisture, teas produced from different ancient gardens exhibit unique intrinsic qualities in terms of aroma, flavor, liquor color, and leaf base. Ban Zhang is an administrative village under the Ban Zhang Village Committee of Bulang Mountain Township, located to the northeast of the township, approximately 20 kilometers from the township government seat. Situated at an altitude of about 1,600 meters, the area is well-suited for cultivating tea and other crops. The inhabitants are primarily of the Hani ethnic group. Xin Ban Zhang (New Ban Zhang) is a Hani village comprising 78 households with 382 residents and boasts an ancient tea garden spanning 1,380 mu (approximately 92 hectares). The village has a total arable land area of 1,177.00 mu (about 78.5 hectares), including 508.00 mu of paddy fields and 669.00 mu of dry land, averaging 2.67 mu per capita. The main crops grown are rice and others. Additionally, there are 23,110.00 mu (about 1,540.7 hectares) of forested land, of which 2,081.00 mu (approximately 138.7 hectares) are economic forest orchards, averaging 4.73 mu per capita, primarily cultivating tea and other economic trees. Other areas cover 50.00 mu (about 3.33 hectares).
Originally, Ban Zhang had an old village, which later migrated and split into three: Lao Ban Zhang (Old Ban Zhang), Xin Ban Zhang (New Ban Zhang), and Wei Dong. The administrative center is located in Xin Ban Zhang.
The Xin Ban Zhang tea region is situated about 60 kilometers south of Menghai County town in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, with an average altitude of approximately 1,600 meters. There’s a distinction between the new and old Ban Zhang tea regions. Lao Ban Zhang teas are mainly distributed in areas like Lao Ban Zhang and Lao Man’e, characterized by wild growth. Lao Ban Zhang teas are heavier in quality and strong in nature, with a bitter entry that quickly transforms into sweetness. They possess a full-bodied and robust tea energy with a unique aroma.
A Long History of Tea Plantation
Probably, no one will think of Bulangshan when drinking the “weird” caffeine-free Pu’er tea. But Bulangshan is indeed one of the major producers of Pu’er tea in Yunnan Province. Bulang people have toiled in this area from generation to generation, and they have been known as the oldest tea farmers as well as drinkers in the world.
The history of tea plantation of Bulang people can date back 1,000 years. Even today, many ancient tea trees are still thriving in the villages of Laoman’e, Laobanzhang, and Xinbanzhang etc-among them Laoman’e is nearly 1,400 years old. They are busy strengthening efforts to protect ancient tea trees and cultivating what is called ecological tea plantations. Since 1982 when the tea output quotas were contracted to households, tea industry has been taking up a large percentage of the local economy, and many new plantations have mushroomed.
During 1988-1990, in order to launch the “Tea Development Programme” in Banzhang Village, Menghai Tea Factory began adopting the way of cuttage and cultivated a plantation of about 200 Mu (13 hectares). Up to now, Bulangshan Township has relied largely on the tea plantation which benefits local farmers a lot. The tea acreage has amounted to at least 28,000 Mu (1,867 hectares), with the annual output of about 450 tonnes, worth over 10 million yuan ($1.57 mn).
Characteristics of Xinbanzhang Pu’er Tea(新班章普洱茶)
First flush of spring materia from more than 100 years old arbor tea trees growing in Xin Ban Zhang village. Xin Ban Zhang is a neighbor village to Lao Ban Zhang and the tea from there shares much same character with Lao Ban Zhang Pu’er but not so bitter and pungent so it can be accepted and liked by more people even you try Green (raw) Pu’er for the first time. The leaf structure, mouth-feel and aroma is much the same. An intense cha qi accompanies the drinking experience. This intensity is the perfect fuel to transform this tea through the years.
There is a widespread misunderstanding that raw Pu’er can only be drunk after at least 5-10 years aging. In fact, raw Pu’er of good quality especially the ones made of tealeaves harvested from old or ancient arbor tea trees such as the Xin Ban Zhang Loose raw Pu’er is delicious even being enjoyed in current year. Of course, amazing changes can be found every several years if properly stored. Pu’er tea would change with time in taste, flavor and appearance so you may feel different when you try it.
Differences between Xinbanzhang(新班章) and Laobanzhang (老班章)
In China tea market, Lao Ban Zhang (老班章) is famously referred as the King of Raw Pu’er tea. Its flavor is uniquely strong with bold, complex taste. In Kunming, tea connoisseurs often describe the taste of Lao Ban Zhang as “霸” (superiorly dominant). This is why they crowned Lao Ban Zhang as “The King”. Lao Ban Zhang is named after the village that produces this tea. Lao Ban Zhang Village is located in Bu Lang Mountain (布朗山) at Meng Hai (勐海) county, Xishuang Banna (西双版纳, South West Yunnan). The earliest record on the village’s tea production can be traced back to 1476. Lao Ban Zhang Village is resided by minorities known as The Bu Lang tribe. For generations, the Bu Lang people planted tea trees and produced tea in the mountains. Today, there are 117 Bu Lang families residing in Lao Ban Zhang Village. Due to historical fame, good quality, limited production and monopoly, the price of Lao Ban Zhang Pu’er has gone sky high and it is almost impossible to obtain authentic Lao Ban Zhang at reasonable prices so we have no way but to find a substitute. Xin Ban Zhang is a neighbor village to Lao Ban Zhang and the Pu’er tea produced from here shares much similarity in character with Lao Ban Zhang tea. The Hui Gan(aftertaste) is persistent like Lao Ban Zhang. The leaf structure, mouth-feel and aroma is much the same. An intense cha qi accompanies the drinking experience. This intensity is the perfect fuel to transform this tea through years. In fact, a part of Lao Ban Zhang sold on the market is produced from Xin Ban Zhang. It is even a “decent” cheating way and regrettably quite a large part of so-called Lao Ban Zhang sold on the markets is produced from common places in Bu Lang Shan or just those of Meng Hai.
Despite its relatively recent emergence, Xin Ban Zhang Pu’er tea does not fall short in quality. The tea leaves predominantly come from large-leaf varieties, featuring tightly knit strips and plump buds. The tea exudes a fresh aroma, with a mellow taste and enduring sweet aftertaste. While the flavor profile of Xin Ban Zhang Pu’er tea slightly differs from that of Lao Ban Zhang, its unique charm and quality have equally garnered admiration from tea enthusiasts.
Market Value and Price Trends
Lao Ban Zhang Pu’er tea has always enjoyed a stellar reputation in the market due to its unique quality and flavor. In recent years, with the flourishing of the Pu’er tea market, the price of Lao Ban Zhang Pu’er tea has soared. From the sudden increase in raw material prices to 80-120 yuan per kilogram in 2002, to the 2016 prices where ancient tree first flush teas reached 6,000-8,000 yuan per kilogram and large tree raw materials ranged between 4,000-6,000 yuan per kilogram, the market value of Lao Ban Zhang Pu’er tea has been on a constant rise.
In contrast, as a burgeoning production area, Xin Ban Zhang Pu’er tea, while not as exorbitantly priced as Lao Ban Zhang, has exhibited a steady upward trend. With continuous market expansion and growing recognition from tea aficionados, the market prospects for Xin Ban Zhang Pu’er tea are exceedingly promising.
Tea Factories and Brands
In the Pu’er tea industry, Tiandiren Tea Factory stands out as an enterprise dedicated to producing high-quality Pu’er teas. Since 2004, Tiandiren has been procuring raw materials from Lao Ban Zhang and has produced multiple Lao Ban Zhang Pu’er tea products. These teas not only boast superior quality but also embody Tiandiren’s unique understanding and craftsmanship of tea processing. Notably, products like the 2004 Tiandiren Daoshenggen Collector’s Edition Lao Ban Zhang and the 2004 Tiandiren Daoshenggen Lao Ban Zhang Ecological Tea have been highly cherished by tea lovers.
Tiandiren’s foray into producing Lao Ban Zhang teas was notably pioneering, releasing several Lao Ban Zhang Pu’er teas as early as 2004. This move not only underscores Tiandiren’s emphasis and recognition of Lao Ban Zhang Pu’er tea but also helped establish a commendable brand image in the Pu’er tea market.
Attraction Transportation:
Jinghong City – 90km – Menghai county seat – 40km – Bulang Township
Attraction Travel Tips:
· Best season to travel: March – May
