勐腊勐臘

Měnglà

Mengla

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idmengla

mengla

Border county of eastern Xishuangbanna, east of the Mekong; holds Yiwu and the Xiangming mountains (Yibang, Manzhuan, Gedeng, Mangzhi) of the old six tea mountains.

Level: County
Within: Yunnan › Xishuangbanna

At a glance#

Rainfall

1,540 mm a year

Wikipedia (zh)

Mean temperature

21 °C

Wikipedia (zh)

Location

21.483 °N101.566 °E

Wikipedia (zh)

Terroir#

Slope and light: Figures are for the county as a whole / county seat (~620 m, northern tropical humid monsoon climate); en Wikipedia's station table gives 23.7 °C and 1,502 mm, with a December–April dry season and May–October wet season. Tea mountains in the north are higher and cooler.

Wikipedia (en)

Local words#

古六大茶山 Six Ancient Tea Mountains 山头茶 mountain tea 古树 old-tree 寨 village

Local words	Dialect
ᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦟᦱᧉ IPA [məŋ˥˩ laː˩]	Dai (Tai Lue)	Tai Lue name of Mengla, as given in New Tai Lue script with IPA by zh Wikipedia (勐 = 'meng', a Tai polity / basin). Wikipedia (zh)

People#

Dai 傣族: Dai have lived in the Mengla area for close to a thousand years; Dai villages are concentrated in the lowland basins.
Wikipedia (zh)
Yi 彝族: Xiangming is the prefecture's only Yi ethnic township; a Yi branch (Lalu) migrated from Jinggu in the late Qing.
GoKunming
Yao 瑶族: Mainly the Landian Yao subgroup in eastern Mengla, around Manla and Yaoqu (Yaoqu Yao Ethnic Township); Yao also hold high villages such as Guafengzhai in the Yiwu highlands.
GoKunming
Miao 苗族: Arrived from Guangxi in the late Qing; scattered in eastern Mengla.
GoKunming
Han 汉族: Han settlers and merchants (including from Sichuan, Jiangxi, Hunan and Shiping) came to the tea mountains in the Qing; Yiwu town is mainly Han today.
人民日报海外版 People's Daily Overseas Edition

Market#

Trading towns: Yiwu (易武) · Yibang (倚邦, historical) · Niuguntang (牛滚塘, historical, Mangzhi)
Prices of teas claiming this origin: No county-wide price data found in serious journalism; see individual mountains.

中国作家网 / 《福建文学》

History#

1729Qing creates Pu'er Prefecture (普洱府), carving the six banna east of the Lancang out of Cheli; the tea mountains come under its administration.
Wikipedia (zh)
1927County founded, first named Zhenyue (镇越县), later renamed Mengla.
Wikipedia (zh)
2013-03-05Mengla sections of the Tea Horse Road (Yiwu old street, Mahei and others) listed among the 7th batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.
Wikipedia (zh)
2015-01-14Yunnan approves converting Yiwu township into Yiwu town (云政复〔2015〕3号).
Wikipedia (zh)

Other names and written forms 2#

Chinese variants

镇越县Zhèn yuè xiànZhenyue — countyName of the county when founded in 1927, later renamed Mengla (《维基百科 — 勐腊县》).

Romanisations

Meng La

Names and ambiguities#

Membership of the 'old six famous tea mountains' (古六大茶山)

The Qing lists do not name Yiwu. The Yongzheng-era Yunnan gazetteer (雍正《云南通志》) and Tan Cui's 《滇海虞衡志》 (late 18th c.) both list Youle, Gedeng, Yibang, Mangzhi, Manzhuan and Mansa (慢撒/曼撒), Tan adding that they cover 'eight hundred li around'. Modern usage replaces Mansa with Yiwu: one account says Yiwu grew out of the Mansa tea area after Mansa was damaged by disasters, and gazetteer-type sources place Mansa inside present Yiwu town, so many writers treat 'Mansa = Yiwu area'.

Other lists differ again: a Sotheby's sale catalogue gives Yiwu, Manzhuan, Yibang, 漫洒 (Mansa), Gedeng and Youle (dropping Mangzhi, counting Yiwu and Mansa separately); English Wikipedia gives Gedeng, Yiwu, Mangzhi, Manzhuan, Yibang, Youle and repeats a tradition that the names come from relics left by Zhuge Liang. The trade also loosely calls the whole cluster 'Greater Yiwu', although Youle (Jinuo Mountain, in Jinghong) is not Yiwu in any strict sense. Tan Cui's book is a private compilation rather than an official gazetteer.

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

'New six famous tea mountains' (新六大茶山)

English Wikipedia says the government chose a new group of six mountains in 1962 that included Youle, but gives no names; this part could not confirm a list or date from a primary source. Treat the new-six term as a later, west-of-Mekong (mostly Menghai) grouping whose exact membership needs its own sourcing.

Notes#

Mengla holds five of the six 'old six famous tea mountains' (古六大茶山): Yiwu (including the historical Mansa/曼撒 area) in Yiwu town, and Yibang, Manzhuan, Gedeng and Mangzhi in Xiangming Yi Ethnic Township; the sixth, Youle (Jinuo Mountain), lies across the county line in Jinghong city. The county has 8 towns and 2 ethnic townships (Xiangming Yi, Yaoqu Yao). Its elevation spans roughly 480–2,023 m; the county seat sits at about 620 m in tropical lowland, while the tea mountains are in the hillier north. County-wide climate figures (about 21 °C, ~1,500 mm rain) describe the low county seat, not the tea gardens, which are cooler (Yiwu averages about 17–18 °C).

Prices of teas claiming this origin#

Brand suggested price International retail

China reference prices centre on about $41.11 per 100 g. 3 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
Year of the Horse Spring Yiwu Raw Pu'er	Bitterleaf Teas	International retail	$10.92
Year of the Snake Spring Yiwu Raw Pu'er	Bitterleaf Teas	International retail	$10.92
TE Yiwu Guafengzhai	Tea Encounter	International retail	$16.82
Pu'er Tee - Sheng Yiwu Cake Pest.Free	Yoshi en	International retail	$20.70
Yong Pin Hao Yiwu Zheng Shan Spring Raw Pu'er Tuo Cha	Chawangshop	International retail	$24.00
Sugar Cubes Yiwu Huangpian Raw Pu'er	Bitterleaf Teas	International retail	$24.00
Yiwu Cloud Aroma Sheng Pu'er	Moychay.nl	International retail	$24.47
ZSL Zhangjiawan	Tea Encounter	International retail	$27.36
Yiwu Spring	Tea Urchin	International retail	$33.28
Pu'er Tee - Sheng Yiwu Fuyuan Yuan CHA Cake Pest.Free	Yoshi en	International retail	$36.10
ZSL Ma Hei	Tea Encounter	International retail	$40.04
2020清泉滃然·易武正山	Yulin Gucha Fang suggested price	Brand suggested price	$41.11
TE Chawangshu	Tea Encounter	International retail	$48.05
ZSL Ma Hei	Tea Encounter	International retail	$50.72
Gu Shu Gua Feng Zhai Pu'er 357 g	Yoshi en	International retail	$55.26
Yiwu Gaoshan autumn danzhu	pu-erh.sk	International retail	$62.47
Chazhiji Yiwu	Teas We Like	International retail	$63.03
Yiwu Mountain Sheng pu'er cake Yiwu Tou Chun	Moychay.nl	International retail	$63.70
Gu Shu Gua Feng Zhai Pu'er 25 g	Yoshi en	International retail	$66.84
Yiwu ZJW Gushu	pu-erh.sk	International retail	$67.05
Bitterleaf Reserve – Windfall Fall Guafengzhai Raw Pu'er	Bitterleaf Teas	International retail	$74.50
Yibang Mansong '24 autumn	pu-erh.sk	International retail	$75.63
Biyun Hao Mahei	Teas We Like	International retail	$76.11
Mahei Gushu	The Essence of Tea	International retail	$80.00
Yiwu ZJW Gushu	pu-erh.sk	International retail	$84.70
Yiwu Symphony Spring	Tea Urchin	International retail	$99.50
Dragon Tea House Yiwu	Teas We Like	International retail	$108.68
TE Guafengzhai Chaping	Tea Encounter	International retail	$114.11
Pristine Gua Feng Zhai Abor Tree Sheng Pu'er Tea	Meimei Fine Teas	International retail	$119.05
BYH Chawangshu Gushu	Teas We Like	International retail	$127.78
BGT Yiwu	pu-erh.sk	International retail	$140.01
TE Wangong	Tea Encounter	International retail	$140.14
Yiwu Tongqinghe	pu-erh.sk	International retail	$151.29
Yiwu Wangong Gushu	pu-erh.sk	International retail	$172.95
Yiwu Sheng Pu'er	Yoshi en	International retail	$179.03
TE Lengshuihe Gushu	Tea Encounter	International retail	$220.22
Raw Old arbor brick from Yiwu	Tea Masters	International retail	$250.00
old arbor loose pu'er from Yiwu Mountain	Tea Masters	International retail	$399.00
Yi Wu Tall Trunk Old Single Tree Green Pu'er	Tea Habitat	International retail	$899.47

Listings claiming this origin 39#

Price ranks compare recorded retail offers for the same tea, including offers outside the current delivery filter. Shipping and import charges are excluded.

Sort by Prices compared in the selected currency; unknown values appear last.

Product	Vendor	Price	Per 100 g
Year of the Horse Spring Yiwu Raw Pu'er Lowest of 17 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2026 Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Area as stated Yiwu; picked March 20–29, 2026	Bitterleaf Teas Selected destinations USA · EU · UK · Mainland China Shipping policy	$39.00 / 357 g	$10.92 ≈ $0.76 a session
Year of the Snake Spring Yiwu Raw Pu'er sold outLowest of 17 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2025 Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Area as stated Yiwu, Xishuangbanna; picked March 19–27, 2025	Bitterleaf Teas Selected destinations USA · EU · UK · Mainland China Shipping policy	$39.00 / 357 g	$10.92 ≈ $0.76 a session
TE Yiwu Guafengzhai Lower quarter of 17 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2026 Claimed origin: Guafengzhai Details Compare 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. Area as stated early spring Tree age / type medium-sized trees	Tea Encounter Worldwide UK · USA · Europe · Worldwide Shipping policy	£45.00 / 357 g	$16.82 £12.61 / 100 g ≈ $1.18 a session
Pu'er Tee - Sheng Yiwu Cake Pest.Free Lowest of 6 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2013 Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Area as stated 1,100–1,800 m Tree age / type 100–200 years	Yoshi en Selected destinations EU · UK · Switzerland · Norway · Canada Shipping policy	€65.90 / 357 g	$20.70 €18.46 / 100 g ≈ $1.45 a session
Sugar Cubes Yiwu Huangpian Raw Pu'er Lower quarter of 19 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2024 Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Tree age / type gushu (huangpian, the older leaves sorted out)	Bitterleaf Teas Selected destinations USA · EU · UK · Mainland China Shipping policy	$12.00 / 50 g	$24.00 ≈ $1.68 a session
Yong Pin Hao Yiwu Zheng Shan Spring Raw Pu'er Tuo Cha Lowest of 10 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2008 Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Area as stated "Yiwu Zheng Shan" Tree age / type about 60 years Storage Kunming, dry	Chawangshop Worldwide Worldwide Shipping policy	$60.00 / 250 g	$24.00 ≈ $1.68 a session
Yiwu Cloud Aroma Sheng Pu'er sold out Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: — Claimed origin: Yiwu Details and price notes Compare 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. Tree age / type old trees Price shown for delivery within the EU, including VAT. The final price may vary by destination country.	Moychay.nl Selected destinations Not delivered to: USA. EU · UK · Switzerland · Norway · Canada · Worldwide Shipping policy	€10.91 / 50 g	$24.47 €21.82 / 100 g ≈ $1.71 a session
ZSL Zhangjiawan Lower quarter of 17 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2026 Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Area as stated Zhangjiawan village; early spring Tree age / type gushu	Tea Encounter Worldwide UK · USA · Europe · Worldwide Shipping policy	£82.00 / 400 g	$27.36 £20.50 / 100 g ≈ $1.92 a session
Yiwu Spring Lower quarter of 8 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2009 Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Storage Yunnan, "clean humid"	Tea Urchin Selected destinations USA · EU Shipping policy	$118.80 / 357 g	$33.28 ≈ $2.33 a session
Pu'er Tee - Sheng Yiwu Fuyuan Yuan CHA Cake Pest.Free Lower quarter of 6 Yiwu sheng pu'er Stated year: 2013 Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Area as stated 1,100–1,800 m Tree age / type 100–200 years	Yoshi en Selected destinations EU · UK · Switzerland · Norway · Canada Shipping policy	€114.90 / 357 g	$36.10 €32.18 / 100 g ≈ $2.53 a session

All listings (38)

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.

Product	Vendor	Price	Per 100 g
2020清泉滃然·易武正山 Brand suggested price checked: 2026-10-18 Shou pu'er Stated year: — Claimed origin: Yiwu Details Compare 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. Area as stated 易武正山	Yulin Gucha Fang suggested price	CN¥980.00 / 357 g	$41.11 CN¥274.51 / 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.