Dangguo Pu'er Tea mountain is located on the western half of the Mengku tea mountain, at an altitude of 1,750 meters. This village hidden deep in the western half of the mountain is composed of four natural villages: Waizhai, Yizhai, Baqishan, and Molie. The villagers of Dangguo mostly live off tea, with a combined tea land area of nearly 6,000 mu, making it the largest tea plantation area on the western half of the mountain. The old and new tea lands are roughly equal in size.
In Yizhai, Dangguo, there is still a robust ancient cultivated tea garden preserved today, testifying to Dangguo being a tea mountain with a long history. Additionally, the Dangguo tea area has climatic characteristics of low temperatures, high Humidity, and abundant mist. The dense forests and diverse vegetation provide an excellent ecological environment for the growth of Dangguo tea. They restrain and rely on each other, keeping the ecological environment relatively stable. This endows Dangguo tea with a vibrant vitality.
A unique “natural management method” makes Dangguo tea even more imbued with the atmosphere of the mountains and forests. Without artificial fertilization or excessive development, the tea plants are allowed to grow naturally. Each tea plant is a free spirit roaming the mountains, decorating the hills through its own efforts. Without external pressure, Dangguo remains more natural and pure.
Production of Ancient Tree Tea in Dangguo
Tea trees over 150 years old in Dangguo were planted by the Lahu people. After the county of Shuangjiang was reformed in 1904, Han Chinese immigrants continuously planted no less than 2,000 mu of tea trees between 1904 and 1940. These large tea trees aged between 70 and 110 years now account for about half of the tea plantation area on the mountain. The annual production of pure ancient tree Spring Tea in the entire Dangguo Village Committee has reached around 15 tons in recent years.
Characteristic Flavor of Dangguo Pu'er Tea
The leaves of ancient tea trees in Dangguo are slightly smaller, representing a mix of large, medium, and small leaf varieties, with rich water-soluble substances; the aroma of the tea can be integrated into the tea soup (i.e., the aroma blends with the water); it is highly fragrant, with a strong and distinctive aftertaste, a slightly heavier bitterness, and quick, lasting sweetness return; while the balance of sweetness and bitterness may not match that of Bingdao or Damnuo, it surpasses them in terms of “quality and strength.”
Furthermore, due to Dangguo's location at the foot of the Great Snow Mountain and its proximity to the wild ancient tea cluster in the Great Snow Mountain, its tea character is more noticeably influenced by wild tea, known for its strong fragrance and flavor.
Dangguo tea is known as the “hero of the Mengku large-leaf variety,” with its own unique style, and can develop honey-like aromas when stored properly. Drinking it evokes a sense of clarity like a fresh breeze, its rhythm lifting spirits, making every day sweeter and more vivid.