Zhenkang, Cangyuan, and Gengma: Lincang's Southwestern Border Tea Region

Zhenkang, Cangyuan, and Gengma, three counties on Lincang's southwestern edge, sit right along the China–Myanmar border. Their tea mountains don't come up in tea drinkers' conversations the way Bingdao and Xigui do, yet they have large old gardens, wild ancient tea tree communities, and the Va, Dai, and other peoples' own ways of drinking tea. To see Lincang in full, these three counties can't be skipped.

Where Is Zhenkang?

Zhenkang County (鎮康) is in the west of Lincang City, bordering Yongde to the east and Gengma to the south, sharing mountains and rivers with the Kokang region of Myanmar to the west, and facing Longling County of Baoshan City across the Nu River to the north. Over 94% of the county is mountainous, with a highest altitude of 2,978 meters and a lowest of only 510 meters; annual rainfall is about 1,700 millimeters, concentrated in the May–October rainy season.

Zhenkang was originally one county with Yongde, splitting off in 1964. In 2005, the county seat moved to Nansan Town right on the China–Myanmar border, only about 9 kilometers from Laukkaing in Myanmar's Kokang; it's a town straddling two countries, with lively border trade. The county is home to 23 ethnic groups, including Han, Va, Dai, De'ang, Blang, Lisu, and Lahu, and a folk song-and-dance called "A Shu Se" is popular locally; even tea songs are tied to it.

What Sets Ma'anshan Tea Apart?

Zhenkang's most famous tea mountain is Ma'anshan (馬鞍山) in Mangbing Township, named for its saddle-like shape. A local folk song goes roughly: Zhenkang's tea is fragrant, the good tea is grown on Ma'anshan; nothing sounds better than A Shu Se, nothing tastes better than Anshan tea.

• Location and altitude: Ma'anshan Village averages about 1,400 meters, with gardens mostly at 1,300–1,600 meters;
• Tea trees: The common account in the tea world is that large-leaf tea was brought from Mengku in Shuangjiang around 1913 and propagated from seed; the old gardens are mostly about 100 years old, planted around the same time as Mangfei in Yongde;
• Core area: The Baobaozhai area, which locals call "Da Baobao," with small output;
• Flavor: Unassuming on entry, then a cooling sensation slowly spreads through the whole mouth, with a long-lasting huigan at the back of the tongue and continuous salivation; the aroma is high and lasting, bitterness light, astringency weak, and the liquor bright yellow.

Zhenkang Is Near Myanmar. What's Distinctive About Its Tea?

Zhenkang's gardens are generally not at high altitude, the climate is warm and humid with ample rain, and tea trees grow quickly, so the liquor often has a sweet smoothness and cooling feel without much bitterness or astringency. Another distinctive feature is border geography: the national border is right there, and there are tea gardens on mountains on both sides. When you come across tea labeled "Zhenkang," check the raw material origin stated on the packaging; gardens on the Myanmar side are a different origin, introduced in Ancient Tea Gardens in Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.

Besides Ma'anshan, another mountain often mentioned in Zhenkang is Yanzitou.

How Is Zhenkang Tea Priced?

Compared with famous mountains like Bingdao and Xigui, Zhenkang tea belongs to the affordable group. The reasons are straightforward: it's not well known, it's far from downtown Lincang, output is relatively large, and the old gardens are mostly around a hundred years old rather than ancient trees of several centuries. For people who want Lincang style without paying too much for a name, Zhenkang is worth trying. How mountain prices form is covered in What Determines the Price of Pu'er.

Does Cangyuan Produce Pu'er?

Yes. Cangyuan Va Autonomous County (滄源) is in Lincang's southwestern corner, the county with the greatest concentration of Va people, covering about 2,447 square kilometers; its highest peak, Wokan Mountain, is 2,605 meters. The county's ancient tea trees are mostly in Danjia and Nuoliang townships, and there are also very large wild-type ancient tea tree communities.

The better-known ancient garden is Papo, at about 1,970–1,990 meters, with about 12,000–20,000 ancient trees (records vary), of the cultivated type; its liquor is golden, with a high aroma and mellow taste. In recent years the Nuoliang area has also developed broken black tea, showing that Cangyuan's tea isn't only made into pu'er.

How Do the Va Drink Tea?

The most representative Va way of drinking tea is roasted tea:

1. Put sun-dried maocha into a small clay pot, or spread it on an iron plate or thick straw paper, and slowly roast it near the fire pit;
2. Shake it as it roasts until the leaves are slightly charred and give off a toasty aroma;
3. Pour in boiling water, simmer briefly, then pour out and drink.

Roasted tea has a caramel-like toasty aroma and a strong, dark liquor. A 2012 study in the Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin compared three roasting tools commonly used by the Va, clay pots, raw straw paper, and iron plates, and found that straw paper produced the best quality, with a roasting temperature of around 250°C working best. For roasted tea among other peoples, read Yunnan's Roasted Tea and Tea Customs of Yunnan's Ethnic Groups.

What Tea Areas Does Gengma Have?

Gengma Dai and Va Autonomous County (耿馬) is west of Shuangjiang and north of Cangyuan. Its tea industry is large, with the main producing area centered on Mengsa Town. Tea areas often mentioned include:

• Hunan (戶南): In Manghong Township; "Hunan" is Dai for "the head of the water." The ancient garden covers about 300 mu (about 20 hectares) and is said to have once supplied tribute tea to the Han clan tusi of Gengma;
• Dalangba: A wild ancient tea tree community in Manghong Township;
• Daqingshan: A large wild ancient tea tree community near Gengma Town, on the range that divides the Lancang and Nu rivers;
• Gengma Daxueshan: In Daxing Township, also an area of wild ancient tea trees.

FAQ

Q: Where is Zhenkang?
A: In the west of Lincang City, Yunnan, bordering the Kokang region of Myanmar to the west; since 2005 its county seat has been Nansan Town on the border.

Q: What makes Ma'anshan tea good?
A: It's gentle on entry, then a cooling sensation appears in the mouth, with a long-lasting huigan, continuous salivation, light bitterness, and weak astringency. The gardens are in Mangbing Township at about 1,400 meters.

Q: Is Zhenkang tea expensive?
A: It's much more affordable than famous mountains like Bingdao and Xigui, mainly because it's less famous, output is larger, and the trees are mostly around a hundred years old.

Q: How is Va roasted tea made?
A: Sun-dried maocha is roasted near the fire on a clay pot, iron plate, or straw paper until slightly charred, then boiling water is poured in and it's simmered briefly before drinking. It has a toasty aroma and a strong liquor.

Q: What tea mountains does Gengma have?
A: Common ones include Hunan and Dalangba in Manghong Township, Daqingshan near Gengma Town, and Gengma Daxueshan in Daxing Township.