Mengsong: Naka, Baotang, and Huazhuliangzi

In Dai, Mengsong means "a flat basin among high mountains." The name fits: Mengsong's basin is small, but it's ringed by the highest mountains in Xishuangbanna. High altitude, year-round mist, and dense forest give Mengsong tea a clear, high fragrance, which tea drinkers often describe as "high fragrance, sweet water."

Where Is Mengsong?

Mengsong Township (勐宋) is in northeastern Menghai County, about 25 kilometers from the county town, covering about 492.6 square kilometers. It borders Jinghong City to the east and Gelanghe Township to the south. The township has nine village committees: Manmai, Manfang, Manjin, Manlü, Bang'gang, Sanmai, Nuoyou, Da'an, and Banglong.

Mengsong is one of the earliest places in Menghai where people grew tea, and its ancient gardens were mostly planted and tended by the Lahu. Common figures put them at around 3,000–3,700 mu, with trees mostly 200–600 years old. The main tea villages include Naka, Baotang New Village, Baotang Old Village, Bameng, Nanben Old Village, Xia Da'an, and Mansong.

Note also that Menglong Town in Jinghong City has a tea mountain also called "Mengsong," same name as Menghai's Mengsong but a different place. When packaging says "Mengsong," it's worth checking which one.

Is Huazhuliangzi the Highest Peak in Xishuangbanna?

Yes. Huazhuliangzi (滑竹梁子) is within Mengsong Township, generally recorded at 2,429 meters, the highest point in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, and called "the roof of Banna." The mountain is covered in smooth wild bamboo, which locals call "huazhu" (slippery bamboo), giving the mountain its name.

Huazhuliangzi's ancient tea trees mostly grow halfway up the mountain, at about 1,600–2,100 meters, mixed with native forest. From Huazhuliangzi you can see several of the tea mountains around Menghai. Villages like Naka, Baotang, and Bameng are scattered across its slopes.

Where Is Naka?

Naka (那卡) is a Lahu village under the Manlü village committee of Mengsong Township (often written "Da Manlü" in the tea world), on the east face of Huazhuliangzi at about 1,600–1,700 meters, in a very well-preserved environment.

Naka has over 600 mu of contiguous ancient gardens, with trees mostly 300–500 years old. The trees grow densely and are tree-form (arbor type), mostly over 2 meters tall with trunks over 10 centimeters in diameter. Official descriptions say Naka tea has tight, dark brown, glossy leaves with visible buds, a rich honey aroma, and a strong, mellow, fresh liquor, which is why it's also nicknamed "Little Banzhang."

Why Is Naka Tea Called "Bamboo-Tube Fragrant"?

The phrase has two layers of meaning:

The first is the tradition of bamboo-tube tea. Naka's Lahu are skilled at making bamboo-tube tea: sun-dried maocha is steamed soft, packed tightly into fresh fragrant bamboo tubes, and slowly roasted dry beside the fire. When it's done, the tube is split open to reveal a cylinder of tea carrying the scent of bamboo. Local tradition says Naka bamboo-tube tea was historically designated as tribute by the Burmese royal court. How bamboo-tube tea is made and drunk is covered in Bamboo-Tube Tea.

The second is a description of flavor. Even when it isn't packed in bamboo, tea drinkers often taste a fresh bamboo or bamboo-leaf note in Naka's loose or cake tea, layered with a lifting honey aroma. So "bamboo-tube fragrant" became a byword for Naka tea. This is drinkers' experience, and everyone's perception differs, but it's certainly the impression of Naka mentioned most often.

What Sets Baotang Tea Apart?

Baotang (保塘) is also in Mengsong Township, about 10 kilometers from the township government, and is one of Mengsong's most representative ancient tea villages. It's divided into Baotang New Village and Baotang Old Village, which sit right next to each other. The Old Village is Lahu, and most of the ancient gardens were planted by them; the New Village's residents are mostly Han, and the village formed later because of tea.

Baotang has over 1,000 mu of ancient tea land, with trees mostly 300–500 years old, at about 1,700–1,800 meters, growing together with forest and shrubs. Baotang tea is characterized by:

• Strong wild-mountain character: A sharp aroma with an obvious wild-mountain note.
• Strong salivation and huigan: Saliva rises quickly in the cheeks after drinking, and the huigan lasts.
• Liquor color: Golden and clear.
• Cup-bottom aroma: Strong and lingering.

If Naka is "fragrance and sweetness," Baotang is "fragrance and strength," two faces of the same mountain.

The Style of the Mengsong Region

Look at Mengsong's teas together and the common traits are clear:

• High fragrance: High altitude and plenty of mist give a clear, lifting aroma; it's the most aromatic group among Menghai teas.
• Sweet water: Lighter bitterness and astringency than Bulang Mountain, high sweetness, and a fine liquor.
• Thick leaves: Dark leaves with full inner substance that hold up over many infusions.
• Ample cha qi: Gentle, but with no lack of power in the finish.

If you want to experience Menghai's fragrance first rather than its bitterness, Mengsong is a great place to start. Further reading: Altitude, Soil, and Terroir.

How to Brew Mengsong Tea

Mengsong tea is highly aromatic and shows best with quick infusions of boiling water: 7–8 grams in a 110 ml gaiwan, pouring off the first 3 infusions after 8–10 seconds, and smelling the lid first after each pour. Naka's honey and bamboo notes are clearest in the first few infusions, while Baotang's wild-mountain character grows more obvious the longer you brew.

FAQ

Q: Where is Naka?
A: In the Manlü village committee of Mengsong Township, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan. It's a Lahu village on the east face of Huazhuliangzi, at about 1,600–1,700 meters, with over 600 mu of ancient gardens.

Q: Why is Naka tea called "bamboo-tube fragrant"?
A: Naka's Lahu are known for making bamboo-tube tea, said to have once been tribute to the Burmese royal court, and Naka tea itself often carries a fresh bamboo note alongside honey, hence "bamboo-tube fragrant."

Q: What sets Baotang tea apart?
A: Baotang is divided into New and Old villages, with the Old Village being Lahu. Its tea has strong wild-mountain character and a sharp aroma, strong salivation and huigan, a golden, clear liquor, and a lasting cup-bottom aroma.

Q: Is Huazhuliangzi the highest peak in Xishuangbanna?
A: Yes. Huazhuliangzi is in Mengsong Township, generally recorded at 2,429 meters, the highest point in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, called "the roof of Banna."

Q: What's the style of Mengsong tea?
A: High fragrance and sweet water, with lighter bitterness and astringency than Bulang Mountain and thick, long-lasting leaves; it's the most aromatic group among Menghai teas.