Jiangcheng, Mojiang, Lancang: Where Three Countries Meet, and Other Tea Areas
Pu'er City's most famous tea is Jingmai Mountain, followed by Kunlushan and Jinggu. Head south and east and there are several tea counties mentioned less often: Jiangcheng, bordering Vietnam and Laos; Mojiang, crossed by the Tropic of Cancer; and Lancang, home of Jingmai Mountain. All are within pu'er's geographical indication protected area.
Jiangcheng: One Town Linking Three Countries
Jiangcheng Hani and Yi Autonomous County (江城) is at the southeastern tip of Pu'er City, named for the three rivers that encircle it: the Lixian, Manlao, and Mengye. The county borders Vietnam to the southeast and Laos to the south, with a national border of about 183 kilometers. The borders of China, Laos, and Vietnam meet here, which is why it's called "one town linking three countries."
Jiangcheng isn't an old county: it was carved out of Ning'er, Mojiang, and Yuanjiang counties only in 1929, became an ethnic autonomous area in 1954, and was named an autonomous county in 1955. The county covers 3,429 square kilometers, with a 2020 population of about 111,000.
Jiangcheng is low in latitude and high in rainfall, with July averaging about 485 millimeters, a classic hot, humid southern subtropical mountain area. The seven townships listed in the protected area announcement are Menglie, Zhengdong, Guoqing, Jiahe, Baozang, Kangping, and Qushui. The tea world's impression of Jiangcheng tea is a bright liquor, good sweetness, and not much bitterness or astringency; it's more affordable than the famous mountains and often used by factories for blends or everyday drinking tea.
Mojiang: A Hani Tea Country on the Tropic of Cancer
Mojiang Hani Autonomous County (墨江) is in northeastern Pu'er City and is China's only Hani autonomous county, established in 1979. The county covers 5,289 square kilometers, with a 2020 population of about 281,600; mountains make up over 99% of its area, at altitudes from 440 to 2,278 meters. The Tropic of Cancer crosses the county, and there's a Tropic of Cancer marker park near the county town.
Mojiang's historical name is "Talang": the Talang Subprefecture was established in the 10th year of Yongzheng in the Qing dynasty (1732), and it was renamed Mojiang County in the early Republic. The protected area announcement lists townships including Lianzhu, Tongguan, Xin'an, Tuantian, Xinfu, Jingxing, Sinanjiang, Naha, Yayi, and Bixi, covering almost the whole county.
What tea does Mojiang have? What the tea world mentions most is "Midi tea" from the Lianzhu Town area, said to have been tribute in the Qing dynasty; beyond that, each township has many old gardens, mostly made into sun-dried maocha. Mojiang tea gives an impression of a clean aroma, a fine liquor, and moderate bitterness and astringency.
Lancang: Beyond Jingmai
The most famous thing in Lancang Lahu Autonomous County (瀾滄) is, of course, Jingmai Mountain. In 2023, the "Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er" was inscribed as World Heritage; see Jingmai Mountain: A Thousand-Year Tea Garden Under the Forest.
Beyond Jingmai, Lancang has a few other names worth knowing:
- Bangwai: The Bangwai transitional-type ancient tea tree, made public in 1991, is considered to have features of both wild and cultivated tea trees, and was even put on a stamp in 1997. Bangwai ancient-tree tea is known for a high aroma and a full liquor. Further reading: Wild, Transitional, and Cultivated Types.
- The Nuozhadu, Shangyun, and Qianliu area: Townships along the Lancang River and in the north of the county also grow tea, mostly as sun-dried raw material.
- Neighboring Menglian and Ximeng: These two counties are also in the protected area, with smaller tea gardens.
In the protected area announcement, Lancang County lists townships including Menglang, Shangyun, Nuozhadu, Qianliu, Donghe, Dashan, Nanling, Jiujing, Huimin, and Donghui; Huimin Town, where Jingmai Mountain is, is one of them.
The Style of These Areas' Teas
| County | Location | Common impression in the tea world |
|---|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | Southeastern Pu'er City, bordering Vietnam and Laos | Sweet, bright liquor, not much bitterness or astringency |
| Mojiang | Northeastern Pu'er City, on the Tropic of Cancer | Clean aroma, fine liquor, moderate bitterness and astringency |
| Lancang (Jingmai) | Southwestern Pu'er City | High orchid aroma, low bitterness and astringency |
| Lancang (Bangwai) | Northern Lancang | High aroma, full texture |
These are all general tendencies. Overall, Pu'er City's teas are gentler in bitterness and astringency than Menghai's and more affordable than the famous mountains of Banna and Lincang, making them well suited as everyday teas. For tea from Pu'er City's other counties, start with The Pu'er City Tea Region.
Buying Tea from These Areas
Jiangcheng and Mojiang teas don't often appear under their place names in Taiwan; more often they're part of blends. If a shop labels a tea "Jiangcheng," "Mojiang," or "Bangwai," ask which township, ancient tree or terrace, and which year and season; those answers say more about a tea than the place name itself. Methods for judging origin are in Is That Mountain Real? How to Judge Origin.
FAQ
Q: Why is Jiangcheng called "one town linking three countries"?
A: Jiangcheng County borders Vietnam to the southeast and Laos to the south, and the borders of China, Laos, and Vietnam meet within the county; its national border is about 183 kilometers.
Q: What tea does Mojiang have?
A: The tea world mentions Midi tea from the Lianzhu Town area most often; beyond that, each township has old gardens, mostly made into sun-dried maocha.
Q: What tea areas does Lancang have besides Jingmai?
A: The most famous is Bangwai, home of the transitional-type ancient tea tree made public in 1991; townships in the north of the county and along the Lancang River also grow tea.
Q: What style are these areas' teas?
A: Gentler overall than Menghai: Jiangcheng leans sweet, Mojiang clean and fine, Jingmai has a high orchid aroma, and Bangwai a high aroma and thick liquor.