Lao Man'e: Bitter Tea and Sweet Tea from an Ancient Blang Village

Among the five Banzhang villages of Bulang Mountain, Lao Banzhang is famous for its "dominance," and Lao Man'e for its "bitterness." Some people shake their heads at the word bitter; others seek out exactly that mouthful: bitterness that's direct, clears cleanly, and leaves the mouth full of returning sweetness once you swallow. The village also has an ancient Buddhist temple and a history of more than 1,300 years.

Where Is Lao Man'e?

Lao Man'e (老曼峨) is in Bulang Mountain Township, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture. It belongs to the Banzhang village committee and, together with Lao Banzhang, Xin Banzhang, Bakanan, and Bakalong, makes up the "five Banzhang villages" (The Five Villages of Bulang Mountain). The village sits in a small basin ringed by mountains, lower than Lao Banzhang. Altitude figures vary: one says about 1,300 meters, while other sources give 1,200-some or 1,650 meters, the difference mostly coming down to whether the village itself or the higher gardens around it were measured.

Lao Man'e is a Blang village, often called one of the oldest and largest Blang villages on Bulang Mountain. Sources record between about 150 and 190 households and 700 to 800-some people, with the differences coming from counts in different years.

An Ancient Village of More Than 1,300 Years

The common account of Lao Man'e's founding comes from a stone inscription at the village temple: the village was founded right at the start of the Dai calendar era, about 638–639 CE, more than 1,300 years ago. Some sources give even earlier dates, and accounts vary, but the tea world broadly agrees that it's "one of the oldest villages on Bulang Mountain."

A story told in the village goes like this: in ancient times a Dai king divided his land between two sons; the elder son got the valley flats to grow rice, the younger son got the mountains to grow tea, and Lao Man'e's ancestors were the line that grew tea in the mountains. Legends like this are common on Bulang Mountain, and they show that tea there isn't just a crop but also family property handed down from ancestors to descendants.

Lao Man'e's Buddhist Temple

The Blang people practice Theravada Buddhism, and Lao Man'e's temple (locally also called the Burmese temple) is one of the larger ones on Bulang Mountain, as old as the village itself. The temple consists of a Buddha hall, a sutra library, a stupa, and other buildings, and was rebuilt in recent years. In front of it is a seated Buddha about 20 meters tall, highly revered by Blang and Dai believers, and Buddhists from neighboring countries also come to pay respects.

The temple supports monks ordained from the village, and villagers' festivals, weddings, funerals, and the opening of the tea season are all tied to the temple's rhythms. Blang tea customs and tea ancestor rituals are covered in Blang Tea Customs and Honoring the Tea Ancestors.

Lao Man'e's Ancient Gardens

Lao Man'e has preserved large ancient gardens, commonly said to total about 3,200 mu (about 213 hectares), divided into a dozen or so plots around the village, with trees mostly 100 to 500 years old. Locals also say that the bitter tea found in many parts of Bulang Mountain was originally brought over from Lao Man'e.

Just How Bitter Is Lao Man'e Bitter Tea?

Lao Man'e's bitterness is famous on Bulang Mountain:

• Bitter right on entry: It doesn't creep up slowly; it presses onto the tongue with the very first sip, more directly than Lao Banzhang.
• More bitter than astringent: There's little dry, tight puckering in the mouth; it's mostly pure bitterness.
• Clears quickly: Good Lao Man'e bitter tea sheds its bitterness within seconds, followed by salivation in the cheeks and sweetness returning in the throat.
• Thick liquor: The liquor is dense and full, with strong cha qi.

There's a vivid local saying that roughly means: once the astringency fades, fragrance remains; once the bitterness fades, sweetness lasts for days. That's an exaggeration, of course, but it captures the point of Lao Man'e tea: bitterness isn't the end, it's the start of the huigan.

Are Sweet Tea and Bitter Tea Different Trees?

Lao Man'e's tea comes in two kinds:

• Bitter tea: Most of the village's tea trees belong to this kind, and it's the flavor Lao Man'e is famous for.
• Sweet tea: Fewer in number, with noticeably lighter bitterness and a sweeter, softer entry. Villagers used to keep most of it for themselves, so it's relatively rare on the market.

Both are locally cultivated Yunnan large-leaf tea trees, not two different species. The difference lies in the genetic traits of the tree populations themselves: some trees naturally have more bitter compounds, some fewer, and long-term grouped planting formed two populations, "bitter tea trees" and "sweet tea trees." There's also an account in the tea world that the sweet tea trees were later brought in from elsewhere. You can tell them apart when drinking: sweet tea lacks that tongue-pressing bitterness on entry, but it's also gentler in strength.

Why Some People Love Bitter Tea

• The huigan after the bitterness: The more bitter a tea and the faster it clears, the stronger the contrast with the huigan and salivation that follow, a sensation many seasoned drinkers seek out.
• Long-lasting, strong backbone: Lao Man'e tea is rich in substance, with a thick liquor that holds up over many infusions, and is generally considered well suited to aging; with age, the bitterness gradually turns mellow and rich.
• A backbone for blends: Bitter, powerful material can carry the overall thickness of a blend and balance softer material.
• Highly recognizable: Once you've tasted it, you won't forget it, and those who like it keep coming back.

The difference between bitterness and astringency and how huigan works are covered in Bitterness and Astringency and Huigan and Shengjin; the misconception that "pu'er is always bitter" is addressed in Is All Pu'er Bitter?.

How to Brew Lao Man'e

• 5–6 grams in a 110 ml gaiwan, a little less than for typical raw pu'er;
• Quick infusions with boiling water, pouring off the first 3 after about 5 seconds;
• If the bitterness is too concentrated, lower the water to about 90°C, or wait until the 4th infusion before lengthening steeps;
• Pause for a few seconds after each sip and feel the bitterness clear and the sweetness come back.

FAQ

Q: Where is Lao Man'e?
A: In Bulang Mountain Township, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan. It belongs to the Banzhang village committee and is a Blang village, one of the five Banzhang villages.

Q: Is all Lao Man'e tea very bitter?
A: Most of it is the bitter tea it's famous for, but the village also has a sweet tea with light bitterness; there's less of it, and villagers mostly keep it for themselves.

Q: Are Lao Man'e bitter tea and sweet tea different varieties?
A: Both are local Yunnan large-leaf tea, not different species; the difference lies in how many bitter compounds the tree populations themselves have. There's also an account that the sweet tea trees were brought in from elsewhere.

Q: How old is Lao Man'e?
A: According to the stone inscription at the village temple, it was founded at the start of the Dai calendar era, about 638–639 CE, more than 1,300 years ago.