Mantuan (Manzhuang)
In Dai language, it means “large Village.”
Located in the south of Xiangming Township, Mengla County.
To the east, it borders the Yiwu Tea region. The main areas for ancient tea trees on Mantuan Tea Mountain include Mantuan and Manlin (Mannlin). Manlin is the village with the most tea gardens on Mantuan Tea Mountain, while Manzhuang is the largest village and has the highest population. Manlin sits atop Mantuan Tea Mountain at an elevation of 1700 meters, with beautiful scenery and often shrouded in mist. From the summit, one can see a sea of clouds stretching as far as the eye can see, like a fairyland.
The ecological environment of Mantuan Tea Mountain is excellent.
It has high altitude, low temperatures, abundant sunlight, and large temperature differences between day and night.
Winters are not severely cold, and summers are not excessively hot.
Ancient tea trees mostly grow in dense forests.
The special natural environment has shaped the quality of Mantuan tea leaves.
Dry tea leaves are dark and glossy, thick and long.
Floral and honey aromas interweave, rich and lasting.
The soup is full-bodied, thick, and smooth, with a strong wild character.
The aroma lingers in the Cup for a long time, and the aftertaste returns quickly.
The bitterness and astringency are mild, and the throat resonance is deep.
According to the “Yunnan General Gazetteer · Products,”
“Pu'er tea is produced in the six tea mountains of Buluo, Gedeng, Yibang, Mangzhi, Mantuan, and Mansha, with those from Yibang and Mantuan being of superior flavor.” There are very few well-known tea brands from Mantuan Tea Mountain, whereas many famous old tea brands from Yiwu would buy raw materials from Mantuan, so most of the tea produced here was transported to Yiwu for processing and then sold elsewhere. Mantuan still preserves an important stone stele that records the construction of the Guandi Temple in the sixth year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1741). This stele is the oldest preserved among the steles from the six great tea mountains, with inscriptions stating that “Mantuan is one of the six great tea mountains.” One can still find stone carvings and sculptures from the Qing Dynasty in Mantuan, which give a glimpse into its past glory.