Yongde: Mangfei and Yongde Daxueshan

Among Lincang's tea areas, Yongde (永德) is a county without much fame but with considerable output. Many large tea factories source raw material here, and Taiwanese pu'er people noticed one of its mountains early on: Mangfei. A local saying goes roughly, "Coming to Yongde without drinking Mangfei tea is like eating meat without salt," which shows how much Mangfei means to the people of Yongde.

Where Is Yongde?

Yongde County is in the northwest of Lincang City, Yunnan, bordering Fengqing and Yunxian to the east and Zhenkang and Gengma to the south. The terrain varies enormously: the highest point is the main peak of Yongde Daxueshan at 3,504 meters, also the highest point in all of Lincang City; the lowest is only about 540 meters. From river valley to high mountain, the relative drop is nearly 3,000 meters, so the same county has both tropical valleys and alpine forest, with tea trees spread across the broad slopes in between.

Yongde was originally one county with Zhenkang; they became separate counties after a split in 1964. For the roles and locations of Lincang's eight districts and counties, start with The Lincang Tea Region.

Where Is Mangfei?

Mangfei (忙肺) is a village in the Mengban area of Yongde County and Yongde's most famous tea mountain. Its gardens lie roughly between 1,500 and 1,600 meters, with an average annual temperature of about 18°C and ample rainfall.

Mangfei's trees are mainly the local Mangfei large-leaf population variety, a cultivated, sexually reproduced population, that is, trees propagated from seed generation after generation, with slight differences in traits from tree to tree. The common account in the tea world puts the age of Mangfei's old gardens at roughly 80–100 years, in the range of "old trees" or "large trees" rather than older ancient trees. For the concept of tree-age classes, see Ancient Trees, Large Trees, and Terrace Tea.

The Style of Mangfei Tea

What's most often said about Mangfei tea is that it's "strong" and "fast":

• Appearance: Long, sturdy leaves with plump buds;
• Aroma: Rich and lifting;
• Taste: Thick and heavy with strong intensity; bitterness is noticeable but dissolves quickly on entry;
• Huigan: Comes fast and clearly, with saliva welling under the tongue;
• Texture: Rich in substance, with a full liquor.

Because it's so strong and flavorful, some in the tea world jokingly call Mangfei tea "the MSG of pu'er," meaning that adding a little Mangfei material to a blend makes the whole thing taste thicker. People who like the strong teas of the Menghai area often like Mangfei too.

Mangfei tea caught the attention of Taiwanese tea people early on, and quite a few Taiwanese tea merchants commissioned teas here, which is one reason it has a certain reputation in Taiwan's pu'er circles.

Is Yongde Daxueshan a Different Mountain?

Yes. Lincang has several "great snow mountains" with the same name in different places:

The Yongde Daxueshan area has a national nature reserve, and the tea mountains around it include Manlai, on the border of Daxueshan Township and Wumulong Township, as well as Banka, Huangcaoshan, and other places. Manlai is mostly wild-type ancient tea trees, scattered through native evergreen forest within the reserve at an average altitude of about 2,100 meters. Wild-type tea trees differ from the cultivated ancient trees we usually drink and aren't generally used as raw material for everyday drinking; see Wild Tea and Ecological Tea.

Of the cultivated old gardens outside the reserve, tea drinkers often say the style is rich and heavy with a touch of wild-mountain character. The story of the Mengku mountain is in Mengku Daxueshan; Bangdong is covered in Bangdong.

What Other Tea Areas Does Yongde Have?

Nearly every township in Yongde has stretches of old gardens. Names you'll see more often on the market include:

• Meiziqing: Above 2,000 meters, with trees propagated from cuttings; it's grown in reputation in recent years, with a fine aroma and good sweetness;
• Mingfengshan: The Mingfengshan large-leaf variety is a provincial-level improved population variety in Yunnan, native to the Minglang area of Yongde;
• Xiaobanggui: Old gardens of large-leaf, tree-form tea at about 1,900 meters;
• Yalian: On the northwest foot of Daxueshan, with wild, transitional, and cultivated tea trees, plus a local specialty, "tengzi cha" (vine tea), mild and clean-sweet.

Yongde is also an important producer of ripe tea. The tea world often says Yongde's ripe tea scale and fermentation experience are among the best in Lincang, with a thick, smooth style. How ripe tea is made is covered in Wodui Fermentation.

How to Brew Mangfei

Mangfei tea is strong and intense, so you can use a little less leaf than for typical raw pu'er:

• 5–6 grams in a 110 ml gaiwan;
• Water at about 95°C, quick pours of 5–8 seconds for the first few infusions;
• If the bitterness is pronounced, shorten the steep, and the sweetness will come through quickly.

FAQ

Q: Where is Mangfei?
A: Mangfei is in the Mengban area of Yongde County, Lincang City, Yunnan, with gardens at about 1,500–1,600 meters; it's Yongde's most famous tea mountain.

Q: What does Mangfei tea taste like?
A: Rich and thick with strong intensity; noticeable bitterness that clears quickly, a fast huigan, and a rich aroma. It's often jokingly called "the MSG of pu'er."

Q: Are Yongde Daxueshan and Mengku Daxueshan the same mountain?
A: No. Yongde Daxueshan is in Yongde County, with a main peak of 3,504 meters, Lincang's highest; Mengku Daxueshan is in Shuangjiang County, and Bangdong Daxueshan is in Linxiang District.

Q: Besides Mangfei, what other teas does Yongde have?
A: Common ones include Meiziqing, Mingfengshan, Xiaobanggui, Manlai, and Yalian's vine tea; Yongde is also known for its large output of ripe tea.