Many people view Mengku as a Tea region that became famous due to Bingdao tea, but in fact, it was already a well-known tea distribution center in Yunnan Province since the 1920s. Later, the dominant tea company in Western Yunnan, “Yongchangxiang,” often used Mengku tea as the main ingredient for its compressed tea.
At that time, the eastern half mountain of Mengku, with its convenient transportation, had a far greater reputation than the western half mountain. The article will introduce Bamunu and Zhengqitang, outstanding representatives of the eastern half mountain, which also gave birth to a unique type of tea in the history of tea cultivation – Tengtiao tea.
Zhengqitang, Little Bingdao
“In past years, the Miasma Pond; now, the aroma of Bingdao. Our ancestors planted ancient trees; their descendants Drink the tea. If only there were no cutting; generations would enjoy enduring blessings.” Someone once described the history and characteristics of Zhengqitang with this little poem.
Zhengqitang is located on the eastern edge of Mengku Town, under the jurisdiction of the Nase Village Committee of Mengku Town. It is five kilometers away from the village committee and 25 kilometers from the town government. It is a remote village with only about forty households. However, despite its unassuming location, it is actually close to National Highway 214 and is a must-pass place between Lincang and Mengku. In the past, Zhengqitang was an important transportation hub.
Zhengqitang was originally called Miasma Pond. At that time, it was a pure Laohu ethnic ancient village. According to legend, there was a large snake on the verge of becoming a dragon hiding in the pond here, occasionally exhaling black mist, bringing miasma, hence the name. There are also rumors that the name came about because the area is low-lying and heavily shrouded in miasma, deterring outsiders from lingering.
According to historical records, in 1903, when the official “Peng Kun” of Mengmeng led troops to suppress the Laohu uprising and camped here, he renamed the place Zhengqitang to ward off evil and pray for blessings. After the uprising was suppressed, most of the Laohu people moved away, leaving behind a large number of tea trees. Later, many Han people migrated here and continued to grow and process tea. Gradually, Zhengqitang became a Han village, with only three or four Laohu households remaining, who frequently interacted with Han tea merchants from inland areas.
These historical facts also indicate that the claim of dense miasma in Zhengqitang in the past was unfounded. Moreover, the Shuangjiang region was the main hub of the southern branch of the ancient Tea Horse Road. The high-quality Mengku large-leaf tea materials here could be transported through Taiheng Town (now Boshang Town, Linxiang District) directly to Sipu and further sold to Kham and Tibet. They could also be traded with Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar via Cangyuan and Gengma. At that time, Zhengqitang was not only a resting place and horse stop for the southern branch of the Tea Horse Road, but also a well-known representative of the eastern half mountain of Mengku among tea merchants from these four regions.
The current Zhengqitang is a well-known “Little Bingdao” in the tea circle. Surrounded by three mountains, it has abundant rainfall and sufficient sunlight. Its acidic soil has a moderate pH value, making it very suitable for the growth of tea trees. The tea trees planted by the Laohu people back then are around two to three hundred years old. However, it should be noted that these tea trees were pruned in the 1990s, leaving some regret.
In terms of the chemical composition of tea leaves, the water-soluble extract content of ancient tea trees in Zhengqitang is 48.28%, the Caffeine content is 3.73%, and the content of ester-type catechins is 5.69%. These three data points are quite good, while the free amino acid content is as high as 6.67%, providing a very distinct fresh and refreshing taste. This is the overall impression: the tea has a fresh and lasting fragrance and a fresh, full-bodied flavor.
It is worth mentioning that many of the tea trees in Zhengqitang are “Tengtiao tea,” a way of growing and nurturing tea trees that initially caused controversy but has been widely recognized in recent years. The principles and advantages of this method will be explained by Lu Li in the following introduction to Bamunu Village.
Bamunu, A Former Famous Village
Starting from Najo New Village, we follow the winding mountain road northward to the highest point, and we arrive at Bamunu Village, the highest village in the eastern half mountain of Mengku, with an altitude of about 1,900 meters. Standing at the mountain pass and looking out from a height, we can see famous villages in the western half mountain such as Gongnong, Xiaohusai, and Dahusai, as well as the terrain of the Mengku tea region, “two mountains sandwiching a river and a dam,” forming an overall impression of the area.
By walking through Bamunu Village, we enter the glorious history of the eastern half mountain of Mengku. During the Republic of China period, due to the excellent quality of its tea and convenient transportation, Bamunu became the wealthiest village in the entire Shuangjiang region. The ample income from tea enabled them to plant a large number of tea trees, making Bamunu Village one of the villages with the most existing ancient tea trees in the eastern half mountain.
During that time, Bamunu Village prospered in the tea industry and had a thriving population. Compared with the current prosperity of Bingdao and Laobanzhang, they were not inferior. Unfortunately, in the 1940s, the entire tea industry in Yunnan suffered greatly due to war turmoil. On the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, most of the wealthy merchants in Bamunu migrated overseas. Thankfully, most of the tea trees planted back then still survive today, bringing wealth and hope to the descendants who still live here.
Bamunu Village is built along the mountain, with about three hundred households. Thanks to the extensive Tengtiao tea covering the mountainside, front, and back of the village, every household is engaged in growing and processing tea. With the development of the Pu'er tea industry in recent years, various brands have emerged in the village. Many families have small workshops for initial processing. When the market is favorable, they sell fresh leaves directly; when the price of tea is not ideal, they make sun-dried Green Tea. Except for first-tier famous villages like Bingdao and Laobanzhang, where fresh leaves are as valuable as gold, this model of waiting for the right price before selling is now prevalent in many tea villages in Yunnan, serving as a reflection of the development of tea mountains.
Around Bamunu Village, there are approximately 1,500 mu of ancient tea gardens. The soil type here is very distinctive. On the surface, weathered sandstone and granite form mountain red soil and red earth, with a small amount of purple soil. Minerals, trace elements, and decaying organic matter mix together, forming rich nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter. The soil is loose, with tea stones intertwined, and has good drainage properties, providing excellent material conditions for the growth of tea trees.
The Obvious Advantages of Tengtiao Tea
Mentioning the tea trees in Bamunu, the most famous are the “Tengtiao tea” trees. Their main trunks and branches are clearly visible, with dozens or even hundreds of slender soft vines growing on the branches. At the tips of the vines, several tender buds and young leaves sprout, while the lower segments are bare without leaves, giving them a drooping softness similar to willow trees.
Many tea enthusiasts, seeing the strong and intertwined branches resembling vines, assume it is a new variety. In fact, this is a traditional method of growing and nurturing tea trees that has existed in Yunnan since ancient times, mainly achieved through artificial pruning and shaping. When the main trunk grows to one to two meters tall, the main branches are