Mangsong, a Dai language toponym meaning a plateau between high mountains, is located within the Mangsong Township of Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. To its east lies Jinghong City and to its south, Gelanghe Township. It is one of the ancient Tea regions in Menghai County and also one of the main tea-producing towns. There are over 3,000 mu of ancient tea gardens, widely distributed across several areas with the majority concentrated in Nanben Old Village, Baotang New Village, Baotang Old Village, Damei, and Xia Da'an Villages.
Photographed by Yan Fengting
The ancient tea gardens in Mangsong are mostly planted by the Lahu people, who have a long history of tea cultivation, processing, and trade. Han Chinese settlers entered Mangsong during the Guangxu period of the Qing dynasty to engage in tea trading. In 1931 (20th year of the Republic of China), migrants from Yiwu, Mengla established a tea house in Manmai, Mangsong. In 1941, Fohai Tea Factory set up a preliminary tea processing facility and a tea purchasing station in Mangsong. In the early 1980s, when the Chinese Tea Research Institute and Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences Tea Research Institute jointly surveyed tea tree resources, they discovered wild tea trees near Mansong Village in the Mangsong mountainous area, including one ancient tea tree that was 13.4 meters tall and over 1,000 years old.
Photographed by Wang Xiaolin
The altitude of the Mangsong tea mountains exceeds 1,000 meters, with a high forest coverage rate. The area is perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist, receiving abundant rainfall, which provides ideal conditions for the growth and propagation of tea trees. The old tea trees coexist with the forest, and the high altitude ensures they enjoy ample sunlight and strong photosynthesis. Many of these tea trees are 200-600 years old, with thick leaves, dark twisted shoots, and rich internal qualities, known for their high sweetness and aroma. Besides the many ancient tea gardens, there are also over 30,000 mu of new tea gardens in Mangsong. No matter which mountain or ridge you look at in Mangsong, you will find tea gardens. The range of the ancient tea gardens in Mangsong is extensive and diverse, even teas produced from the same region can vary significantly.