Bangdong: Bangdong Daxueshan and Mangang, Beyond Xigui
Many people get to know Bangdong through Xigui. Xigui is so famous that people often forget it's just one village in Bangdong Township. Head up along the Lancang River and Bangdong also has a great snow mountain, plus mountainside gardens like Mangang and Nahan, whose tea tastes quite different.
Where Is Bangdong Township?
Bangdong Township (邦東) belongs to Linxiang District, Lincang City, Yunnan, northeast of downtown Lincang, with the Lancang River just to its east. The township covers about 193.89 square kilometers with a population of about 13,804. The terrain climbs westward from low valleys along the Lancang all the way to Bangdong Daxueshan, with a huge altitude range: within the same township, you can walk from gardens at about 750 meters by the river to mountainside gardens above 1,500 meters.
Bangdong Township has seven administrative villages: Bangbao, Zhangzhen, Tuanshan, Heping, Weiping, Bangdong, and Mangang. The Xigui and Nahan that tea drinkers talk about so much are names of hamlets under village committees.
What Villages Does Bangdong Have?
Bangdong's tea can be roughly divided into two types by altitude:
- Low-altitude riverside gardens: The most famous is Xigui. Its ancient gardens are on Manglu Mountain on the west bank of the Lancang, at about 700–950 meters, averaging around 750 meters, among the lowest-altitude ancient gardens of Yunnan's famous mountains. Details are in Xigui: Ancient Tea Gardens on the Lancang River.
- Mid-to-high-altitude mountainside gardens: Represented by the Mangang Village area. Nahan, under the Mangang village committee, has gardens at about 1,500–1,700 meters, with ancient trees mostly growing among rocks on the slopes; the tea world often says it has a mineral "rock character" along with orchid and honey notes. The mountainsides around Bangdong Village also have many gardens.
Bangdong's other village names aren't as well known on the market as Xigui, but in recent years Nahan and Mangang have gradually become familiar to tea drinkers too.
Is Bangdong Daxueshan a Different Snow Mountain?
Yes. Lincang has three great snow mountains over 3,000 meters, each a different mountain:
| Great snow mountain | Location | Famous tea |
|---|---|---|
| Mengku Daxueshan | Mengku Town, Shuangjiang County; main peak 3,233 m | Bingdao is on the east slope of the same range; wild ancient tea tree communities on the mountain |
| Bangdong Daxueshan | Bangdong Township, Linxiang District, west bank of the Lancang, about 19 km from downtown Lincang | Xigui is at its eastern foot, by the Lancang |
| Yongde Daxueshan | Southeastern Yongde County | Tea from the Mangfei area |
When tea drinkers say "Daxueshan tea," it's best to ask which one. Mengku Daxueshan's wild tea community is introduced in Mengku Daxueshan; Yongde is covered in Yongde's Mangfei.
How Bangdong Tea Differs from Xigui
Within the same township, the differences come mainly from altitude and environment:
- Altitude: Xigui is by the river at about 750 meters; Mangang and Nahan are on the mountainsides above 1,500 meters.
- Climate: Xigui is shaped by the Lancang valley, warm and humid with plenty of river mist; mountainside gardens have larger day-night temperature swings, so buds grow slowly.
- Soil: Xigui has "yanggan shi" (sheep-liver stone) ground, lateritic red soil mixed with small gravel; around Nahan, tea trees often grow in cracks between rocks.
- Flavor: Xigui is famous for high fragrance, sweet smoothness, a rich liquor, and a quick huigan; Bangdong's mountainside teas are commonly described in the tea world as having a high-concentration liquor, heavier bitterness with light astringency, strong cha qi, rich layering, and orchid and honey aromas.
Simply put, Xigui is a fragrant, sweet, rich riverside tea, while Bangdong's mountain teas add a measure of wildness and strength. If you love Xigui's fragrance but want a bit more cha qi, try tea from Bangdong's other villages.
Tips for Choosing Bangdong Tea
Xigui is famous and expensive, but its output is limited: Manglu Mountain's ancient gardens are said to total only 300-some mu. Some "Bangdong tea" on the market borrows Xigui's name, and some "Xigui" is actually tea from other villages in Bangdong Township. Both are good Bangdong teas; they just ought to be labeled clearly. When buying, you can ask:
- Which village? By the river or on the mountainside?
- What tree age? Ancient tree, large tree, or terrace tea?
- Which season? Spring tea, rainy-season tea, or autumn tea?
More buying tips are in Is That Mountain Real? How to Judge Origin and Six Tips for Buying Pu'er.
How to Brew Bangdong Tea
Bangdong's mountainside teas are noticeably bitter with strong cha qi, so you can go with:
| Item | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Leaf in a 110 ml gaiwan | 6–7 g |
| Water temperature | 95–100°C |
| Infusions 1–3 | 5–8 seconds, in and out quickly |
| Infusion 4 onward | Add 5 seconds each time |
If the liquor is too strong, shorten the steep first and keep the amount of leaf the same, so the sweetness after the bitterness dissolves comes through fully. You can also brew a cup each of Xigui and Nahan side by side; one sip and you'll understand the two faces of the same township.
FAQ
Q: Where is Bangdong?
A: Bangdong Township is in Linxiang District, Lincang City, Yunnan, northeast of downtown on the west bank of the Lancang River; Xigui is in this township.
Q: Which Bangdong villages produce tea?
A: Bangdong Township has seven administrative villages: Bangbao, Zhangzhen, Tuanshan, Heping, Weiping, Bangdong, and Mangang. The ones tea drinkers mention most are riverside Xigui and Nahan in Mangang Village.
Q: Is Bangdong tea the same as Xigui tea?
A: No. Xigui is by the river at about 750 meters and is fragrant and sweet; Bangdong's mountainside gardens are above 1,500 meters, with a rich liquor, strong cha qi, and more noticeable bitterness but light astringency.
Q: Are Bangdong Daxueshan and Mengku Daxueshan the same mountain?
A: No. Bangdong Daxueshan is in Linxiang District and Mengku Daxueshan is in Shuangjiang County; they're different great snow mountains within Lincang.