East vs. West Mengku
Vendors label Mengku tea 'Dongbanshan' or 'Xibanshan'. One Chinese account puts eight sub-areas in the east (e.g. Mangbang, Banuo) and ten in the west (e.g. Bingdao, Baka, Dahusai, Daxueshan). Lists vary between sources.
勐库勐庫
Mengku
Tea town in north Shuangjiang (16 administrative villages, about 130,000 mu of tea) split by the Daxueshan ridge into west and east half-mountains; home of the Mengku large-leaf landrace and Bingdao.
- Level
- Areatown (镇)
- Within
- Yunnan › Lincang › Shuangjiang
At a glance#
- Output
- Whole town, all tea.
Where it lies#
Tea places nearby, plotted by their coordinates. Only physical positions are shown, no boundaries.
2312 places shown Across the view · 909 km
55 places shown Across the view · 252 km
Cultivation#
- Cultivars grown
- Mengku large-leaf
- Landraces
- Mengku large-leaf (勐库大叶种), traditionally traced to seeds planted at Bingdao in 1485. A wild tea population on Mengku Daxueshan lies at 2,200-2,750 m.
- Practice
- From 2015 a county 'clean tea garden' drive (no pesticides or chemical fertiliser, shade trees required) was adopted by village cooperatives such as Dahusai's. In 2021 the town planned to convert all gardens to green or organic management within five years.
People#
- Dai 傣族
- Mengku was ruled by Dai chieftains (土司). Bingdao Laozhai is described as the highest Dai village in Mengku.
- Lahu 拉祜族
- Dahusai (about 1,700 m, west half-mountain) was described in 2012 as a village of over 150 Lahu and Han households, with Lahu tea-growing there going back at least three centuries.
Market#
- Trading towns
- Mengku
- Output
- Whole town, all tea.
- Prices of teas claiming this origin
- In the late 1990s fresh leaf sold for a few jiao per jin. The town now has dozens of named tea peaks (41 by one count) and around 46 refining plants.
Misnaming to watch for: 'Mengku' on a label can mean anything grown in the town's 16 villages. 'Dongbanshan/Xibanshan' (east/west half-mountain) are trade labels, and village lists vary by seller.
History#
- 2004Fenghua Tea Factory founded after the restructuring of the former Mengku tea experiment station.
- 2015County 'clean tea garden' campaign begins; village cooperatives adopt no-chemical rules.
- 2019Mengku named one of China's Top 100 Cultural Towns.
- 2020Town reports 130,000 mu of tea, 8,355 t output, 740 million yuan tea income.
Other names and written forms 4#
Chinese variants
- 勐库十八寨(Mengku 18 villages)Traditional grouping.
- 东半山 / 西半山(East / West Half-Mountain)Split of Mengku along the Daxueshan ridge; common vendor sub-labels.
- 勐库十八寨Mengku — eighteen villagesTrade grouping of 18 named tea areas: 10 on the west half-mountain and 8 on the east, split by the Daxueshan ridge.
Romanisations
- Meng Ku
Names and ambiguities#
Notes#
Mengku covers about 447 km² and is 99.55% mountain. The Nanmeng River (南勐河) runs between the Bangma Daxueshan range and Ma'anshan, and old tea gardens line both sides. Its 16 administrative villages are Chengzi, Haigong, Nasai, Bangdu, Najiao, Banuo, Liangzi, Bingdao, Baka, Dongguo, Dahusai, Gongnong, Bingshan, Banggai, Hudong and Mangna. The trade's west half-mountain (西半山) list has 10 areas: Bingdao, Baka, Dongguo, Dahusai, Gongnong, Banggai, Bingshan, Hudong, Daxueshan (the wild tea population) and Xiaohusai. The east half (东半山) has 8: Mangbeng, Banuo, Najiao, Bangdu, Nasai, Donglai, Mangna and Chengzi. The west side gained price and reputation once the Lincang-Mengku road opened. Many of these villages supplied Dianhong black tea before pu'er became valuable. In 2020 the town reported 130,000 mu of tea, 8,355 t of output and 740 million yuan in tea income.
Prices of teas claiming this origin#
Brand suggested price International retail
China reference prices centre on about $499.15 per 100 g. 6 international listing(s) cost less than half of that, so their origin claims deserve a closer look.
Show as table
| Product | Vendor | Channel | per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banuo Sheng Pu'er | Yoshi en | International retail | $28.24 |
| Xiaohusai Sheng Pu'er | Yoshi en | International retail | $40.81 |
| Bingzhongdao Wang Zai Pin Ripe Pu'er Cake | King Tea Mall | International retail | $45.00 |
| Yunnan Sourcing Bing Dao Lao Zhai Raw Pu'er Tea Cake | Yunnan Sourcing | International retail | $66.00 |
| Yunnan Sourcing Bing Dao Lao Zhai Raw Pu'er Tea Cake | Yunnan Sourcing | International retail | $66.00 |
| Yunnan Sourcing Bing Dao Lao Zhai Raw Pu'er Tea Cake | Yunnan Sourcing | International retail | $78.13 |
| Bingdao Lao Zhai Ancient Tree Pu'er | The Essence of Tea | International retail | $291.60 |
| Bing Dao Di Jie Single Tree Gushu Green Pu'er | Tea Habitat | International retail | $303.35 |
| 雨林档案·冰岛 | Yulin Gucha Fang suggested price | Brand suggested price | $499.15 |
| Bing Dao Lao Zhai 500 Years Old Green Pu'er | Tea Habitat | International retail | $596.12 |
| Bing Dao Lao Zhai 800 Years Old Gushu Green Pu'er | Tea Habitat | International retail | $1,982 |
Listings claiming this origin 11#
Price ranks compare recorded retail offers for the same tea, including offers outside the current delivery filter. Shipping and import charges are excluded.
Prices compared in the selected currency; unknown values appear last.
| Product | Vendor | Price | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
Banuo Sheng Pu'er
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yoshi enSelected destinations |
€89.90 / 357 g | $28.24 €25.18 / 100 g ≈ $1.98 a session |
Xiaohusai Sheng Pu'er
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yoshi enSelected destinations |
€129.90 / 357 g | $40.81 €36.39 / 100 g ≈ $2.86 a session |
Bingzhongdao Wang Zai Pin Ripe Pu'er Cake
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
King Tea MallWorldwide |
$179.99 / 400 g | $45.00 ≈ $3.15 a session |
Yunnan Sourcing Bing Dao Lao Zhai Raw Pu'er Tea Cake
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yunnan SourcingSelected destinations |
$132.00 / 200 g | $66.00 ≈ $4.62 a session |
Yunnan Sourcing Bing Dao Lao Zhai Raw Pu'er Tea Cake
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yunnan SourcingSelected destinations |
$165.00 / 250 g | $66.00 ≈ $4.62 a session |
Yunnan Sourcing Bing Dao Lao Zhai Raw Pu'er Tea Cake
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yunnan SourcingSelected destinations |
$156.25 / 200 g | $78.13 ≈ $5.47 a session |
Bingdao Lao Zhai Ancient Tree Pu'er
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
The Essence of TeaWorldwide |
$1,458 / 500 g | $291.60 ≈ $20.41 a session |
Bing Dao Di Jie Single Tree Gushu Green Pu'er
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Tea HabitatWorldwide |
$86.00 / 28.35 g | $303.35 ≈ $21.23 a session |
Bing Dao Lao Zhai 500 Years Old Green Pu'er
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Tea HabitatWorldwide |
$169.00 / 28.35 g | $596.12 ≈ $41.73 a session |
Bing Dao Lao Zhai 800 Years Old Gushu Green Pu'er
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Tea HabitatWorldwide |
$562.00 / 28.35 g | $1,982 ≈ $138.77 a session |
Price references 1
For comparison only. These are not retail offers or confirmation of delivery to your selected destination. Compare the same batch, date and pack size; shipping and taxes may differ.
Prices compared in the selected currency; unknown values appear last.
| Product | Vendor | Price | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 雨林档案·冰岛 Brand suggested price
checked: 2026-10-18
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yulin Gucha Fang suggested price | CN¥2,800 / 84 g | $499.15 CN¥3,333 / 100 g |
Prices recorded on the dates checked. Conversions use ECB rates dated 2026-10-20; original prices appear alongside. Origin, age and cultivar are stated by the vendor.
Places within#
冰岛
Bingdao Bīngdǎo
Dai village in north Mengku (Shuangjiang). Its Laozhai old-tree sheng is the most expensive single-village pu'er; a national GI since 2025 covers only the Laozhai hamlet.
sourced
勐库大雪山
Mengku Daxueshan Měngkù Dàxuěshān
Main peak (about 3,233 m) of the Bangma range in Mengku, with a protected wild tea population of about 12,000-12,700 mu at 2,200-2,750 m, known since the late 1990s.
sourced
坝糯
Banuo Bànuò
Village on the east half-mountain of Mengku, Shuangjiang; best known for tengtiao ('rattan') old trees, with over 800 mu of trees above 100 years.
sourced
小户赛
Xiaohusai Xiǎohùsài
Natural village of Gongnong (45% Lahu in 2015) on the west half-mountain of Mengku below Bangma Daxueshan; 1,150 mu of tea, with the county's largest well-kept old garden.
sourced