春茶
Main season. Timing depends on the first rains: in the dry spring of 2020 buds only began to grow after the first rain on 10 April, and pressing of spring cakes was finished by late May (one vendor's season log).
易武
Yiwu
Mengla town and tea mountain, the Qing collecting centre of the six mountains and seat of old trading houses; sheng known for soft, sweet, low-bitterness liquor.
- Level
- Mountain
- Within
- Yunnan › Xishuangbanna › Mengla
At a glance#
- Output
- Over 3,000 t of dry maocha a year from 107,000 mu of tea, of which 72,800 mu counted as ancient gardens; output value about 526 million yuan (agricultural data brief; definition of 'ancient garden' broad).
Where it lies#
Tea places nearby, plotted by their coordinates. Only physical positions are shown, no boundaries.
65 places shown Across the view · 161 km
33 places shown Across the view · 32 km
Altitude#
Garden elevations here and in neighbouring places, as sourced.
Picking calendar#
谷花茶
Autumn leaf is picked and judged lighter; a mid-September 2020 test pick at Mahei was rejected as lacking aroma.
Terroir#
- Slope and light
- Average elevation about 1,400 m; annual rainfall reported as 1,800–2,100 mm (Guafengzhai, in the north, about 2,100 mm and 17 °C). Terrain is high in the north-east and low in the south-west (town range 630–2,023 m). Old trees grow under forest cover with diffuse light in remote northern villages.
Cultivation#
- Cultivars grown
- Yunnan large-leaf
- Landraces
- Seed-grown Yunnan large-leaf populations; vendors speak of a local 'Yiwu green bud' (易武绿芽) type.
- Plant age
- Old arbor trees of several hundred years in forest gardens (e.g. Guafengzhai); many garden trees were cut down to bush height in the past (over 90% at Mahei, per a vendor).
- Practice
- Forest and village gardens; hand-made sun-dried maocha, traditionally hand-fired. Ancient-garden area figures vary enormously (about 7,000, 14,000, 17,500 or 72,800 mu depending on source and definition).
Local words#
古六大茶山 Six Ancient Tea Mountains号级茶 Haoji tea古树 old-tree山头茶 mountain tea纯料 single-origin寨 village七子饼 qizi bing石磨压 stone-pressed金瓜 golden melon谷花茶 autumn harvest
| Local words | Dialect | |
|---|---|---|
| ᦀᦲᦰ ᦇᦴ | Dai (Tai Lue) | Tai Lue name of Yiwu (as in OSM's local name). The 区划地名网 gazetteer glosses 易 as 'woman' and 武 as 'snake', i.e. 'beautiful-woman snake'. |
People#
- Han 汉族
- The town centre is mainly Han, descended largely from Qing migrants; many tea merchants came from Shiping (石屏) in southern Yunnan.
- Shiping migrants 石屏人
- Tongqing Hao kept its head office in Shiping and its factory in Yiwu; the Shiping guild hall's Guandi temple now houses the Yiwu tea museum.
- Yi 彝族
- Yiwu's population is described as mainly Han and Yi; Yi villages lie near the town.
- Yao 瑶族
- Yao villages such as Guafengzhai and Yao Dingjiazhai hold many of the northern old-tree gardens.
- Dai 傣族
- Listed with Yao, Yi and Han among the town's groups; minorities were 82.38% of the town's 13,471 people at end-2007.
- Miao 苗族
- Miao villages near the town and in Guafengzhai.
Market#
- Trading towns
- Yiwu old street (易武十字街) · historically Simao / Ning'er (Pu'er prefecture seat)
- Output
- Over 3,000 t of dry maocha a year from 107,000 mu of tea, of which 72,800 mu counted as ancient gardens; output value about 526 million yuan (agricultural data brief; definition of 'ancient garden' broad).
- Prices of teas claiming this origin
- No serious-journalism price series found. Western retail examples (TeaDB, 2015): older Yiwu cakes averaged about US$0.22/g and young ones about US$0.37/g, with premium boutique cakes far higher.
Misnaming to watch for: 'Yiwu Zhengshan' (易武正山) was the buzzword of the early 2000s and appears on many cakes with little control of origin; Jiangcheng (江城, directly north in Pu'er prefecture) leaf is commonly passed off as Yiwu; 'Greater Yiwu' is sometimes stretched to the whole six-mountain cluster, though Youle is not Yiwu. Village names (e.g. Guafengzhai) only appeared on wrappers from the mid-2000s.
History#
- 1729Yiwu placed under Pu'er Prefecture (Simao sub-prefecture) when the Qing set up 普洱府.
- 1732Tongxing Hao (同兴号), among the earliest Yiwu tea houses, said to be founded (auction-house lot note).
- 1735Post road from Yiwu to Simao opened, about 535 li.
- 1736Tongqing Hao (同庆号) said to be founded in the first year of Qianlong, with head office in Shiping and works in Yiwu (auction-house lot note).
- 1838Date (道光十八年) inscribed on Che Shun Hao's 瑞贡天朝 plaque, according to a self-media account that also says Che Shunlai gained 贡生 status in 1837; the source misconverts the year as 1839.
- 1845Stone-paved Simao–Yiwu caravan road via Yibang finished after six years (zh Wikipedia) — or begun in 1845 and reaching Yibang in 1851 (People's Daily); about 470 li.
- 1915Tongqing Hao recognised as Yunnan's leading tea house, output about 500–600 dan a year, exporting to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Siam and Malaya (auction-house lot note).
- 2007Pu'er price bubble, driven largely by Hong Kong and Taiwan merchants' speculation, then collapse.
- 2013-03-05Yiwu Tea Horse Road (old street, Mahei, Luoshuidong and other sections; trading-house sites) listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.
- 2015-01-14Yiwu township becomes Yiwu town.
Other names and written forms 9#
Chinese variants
- 易武山Yiwu — mountain
- 易武正山Yiwu Zhengshan
- 易武镇Yiwu — town
- 曼撒 / 慢撒 / 漫撒(Mansa)Historical tea mountain named in Qing lists of the six mountains; located inside present Yiwu town and often equated with the Yiwu area.
Romanisations
- Yi Wu
Translations and trade names
- Yiwu Mountain
- Yiwu Zhengshan
- Yiwu Town
Abbreviations
- YWZSForum abbreviation for Yiwu Zhengshan.
Names and ambiguities#
'Yiwu Zhengshan' marketing
See Yiwu sheng pu'er: a widely abused wrapper phrase from the 2000s that does not reliably indicate Yiwu origin.
Founding dates of the Yiwu trading houses
瑞贡天朝 plaque: who received it and when
One account ties the plaque to Che Shunlai of Che Shun Hao (inscription 道光十八年 = 1838, though it prints 1839) and says three were made, the others going to Li Kaiji of Anle Hao (安乐号) and a Yibang headman; a promotional piece on the Yiwu museum attributes it to Anle Hao's founder Li Kaiji. The first source admits no original historical document has been found.
Date of the paved Simao–Yiwu caravan road
Area of Yiwu's ancient gardens
Figures range from about 7,000 mu and 14,000 mu (encyclopedic and tea-site figures) through 17,500 mu (vendor) to 72,800 mu (2024 agricultural brief), reflecting different definitions of 'ancient garden' and of Yiwu's extent (the tea mountain is put at about 750 km²; the town at 878–938 km²).
Notes#
Yiwu was the base of the old pu'er trading houses (Tongqing, Songpin, Che Shun Hao and others) whose antique cakes anchor pu'er history. "Yiwu" on a wrapper can mean anything from one village to a blend of the whole area.
Jinghong Zhang’s account of Yiwu’s craft revival rests on interviews conducted in 2007 about Taiwanese visitors arriving in 1994. In that account, local growers still supplied loose tea material, while cake-making was revived with help from two former Tongqing Hao workers and an old cake brought by the visitors. The distinction matters: a revival of pressing was not a restart of tea cultivation. It also shows how collectors helped shape the modern reputation of Yiwu sheng. This is an oral-history reconstruction, not independent archival confirmation of every date (Zhang 2014, pp. 41–43).
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 |
| 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 38#
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Year of the Horse Spring Yiwu Raw 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.
|
Bitterleaf TeasSelected destinations |
$39.00 / 357 g | $10.92 ≈ $0.76 a session |
Year of the Snake Spring Yiwu Raw 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.
|
Bitterleaf TeasSelected destinations |
$39.00 / 357 g | $10.92 ≈ $0.76 a session |
TE Yiwu Guafengzhai
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 EncounterWorldwide |
£45.00 / 357 g | $16.82 £12.61 / 100 g ≈ $1.18 a session |
Pu'er Tee - Sheng Yiwu Cake Pest.Free
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 |
€65.90 / 357 g | $20.70 €18.46 / 100 g ≈ $1.45 a session |
Sugar Cubes Yiwu Huangpian Raw 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.
|
Bitterleaf TeasSelected destinations |
$12.00 / 50 g | $24.00 ≈ $1.68 a session |
Yong Pin Hao Yiwu Zheng Shan Spring Raw Pu'er Tuo Cha
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.
|
ChawangshopWorldwide |
$60.00 / 250 g | $24.00 ≈ $1.68 a session |
Yiwu Cloud Aroma Sheng Pu'er
Details and price notesCompare 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.
Price shown for delivery within the EU, including VAT. The final price may vary by destination country. |
Moychay.nlSelected destinations |
€10.91 / 50 g | $24.47 €21.82 / 100 g ≈ $1.71 a session |
ZSL Zhangjiawan
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 EncounterWorldwide |
£82.00 / 400 g | $27.36 £20.50 / 100 g ≈ $1.92 a session |
Yiwu Spring
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 UrchinSelected destinations |
$118.80 / 357 g | $33.28 ≈ $2.33 a session |
Pu'er Tee - Sheng Yiwu Fuyuan Yuan CHA Cake Pest.Free
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 |
€114.90 / 357 g | $36.10 €32.18 / 100 g ≈ $2.53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020清泉滃然·易武正山 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¥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.
Places within#
麻黑
Mahei Máhēi
Village and administrative-village seat north-east of Yiwu town; vendors call it Yiwu's largest garden area and its benchmark soft, sweet, floral-honey style.
draft
刮风寨
Guafengzhai Guāfēngzhài
Yao village on the Laos border in Mahei administrative village, northern Yiwu; forest gardens such as Chawangshu, Chaping and Baishahe give some of Yiwu's priciest leaf.
draft
Teas associated with this place#
Sources#
Show all sources 22Show fewer sources
- Jinghong Zhang. Puer Tea: Ancient Caravans and Urban Chic. University of Washington Press, 2014. ISBN 978-0-295-99322-5 (hardback); 978-0-295-99323-2 (paperback).