Year: 2026 spring
Weight: 10 grams sample and 200 grams bing
Country of origin: China, Yunnan province, Xishuangbanna

Yiwu Zhangjiawan – The Gateway to the Historic Tea Region of Mansa

Today, Zhangjiawan (张家湾) is one of the most fascinating ancient tea-growing areas of Yiwu. Although it remains overshadowed by better-known names such as Wangong or Bohetang, it is here that one can still experience the atmosphere of the old Yiwu that existed more than a century ago.

Few people realise that the name Yiwu (易武) came into common use relatively late. During the Qing Dynasty, the true historical centre of this tea-producing region was Mansa (曼撒), one of the famous Ancient Six Tea Mountains. As commerce and administration gradually shifted toward Yiwu, the name Yiwu eventually became associated with the entire surrounding region. As a result, many of today’s most celebrated Yiwu teas actually originate from what was once the historic tea territory of Mansa.

Zhangjiawan lies within the Manla (曼腊) mountain range at an elevation of approximately 1,380 metres, separated from historic Mansa by only a single mountain ridge. In the Dai language, the word “La” (腊) means tea, suggesting that tea cultivation has been deeply rooted in this landscape for centuries.

The village itself was established during the Qing Dynasty through the merging of five smaller mountain settlements founded by families who migrated from Shiping County. Even today, the names of the surrounding hamlets preserve the legacy of the original Zhang, Xu, Zhu and Gao families who settled these mountains.

Where the Tea Caravans Rested

During the golden age of the Tea Horse Road, Zhangjiawan became one of the most important stopping points on the southern trading route leading through Laos into northern Vietnam.

Before the Second World War, every merchant transporting tea from the northern part of the Ancient Six Tea Mountains towards Lai Chau was required to pass through Zhangjiawan. The village naturally developed into a resting place where caravans watered their horses, merchants recovered from the mountain trails and prepared for the next stage of the journey.

From here, the tea continued through Laos to Lai Chau, then by river and sea to Haiphong, before eventually reaching Hong Kong and Guangzhou. A complete trading expedition required approximately four months to complete.

Its strategic position explains why the name Zhangjiawan appears so frequently in historical records describing the Pu-erh trade, often more prominently than many other villages of Yiwu.

When Tea Lost Its Value

Today, aged Zhangjiawan teas are sought after by collectors around the world. Few people know that during the late 1970s, however, the local tea had almost no commercial value.

Following 1976, the tea market collapsed. Purchase prices fell dramatically and demand nearly disappeared. Faced with difficult circumstances, many local families cut down large numbers of ancient tea trees because maintaining them no longer provided a livelihood. This difficult period resulted in some of the greatest losses of the region’s original tea trees.

Returning the Trees to Nature

Conditions gradually began to improve during the late 1990s. Since around 1998, local tea farmers have stopped controlling the height of their tea trees through repeated pruning, allowing them instead to resume their natural growth. No pesticides are used, and cultivation is generally limited to removing damaged branches when necessary.

Today, the largest trees reach heights of nearly ten metres, while many average around five metres. Some trunks have become so massive that harvesting requires ladders or simple wooden platforms. Local growers estimate that many of the oldest surviving trees are between 200 and 300 years old.

Liuye Cha – The Tea of Willow Leaves

One of Zhangjiawan’s most distinctive traditions is a cultivation method known as Liuye Cha (柳叶茶), literally “Willow Leaf Tea.”

This does not describe a separate tea cultivar but rather a traditional method of managing the tea trees that has been refined over generations. During harvesting, only the youngest shoots are picked, while the main structural branches remain untouched, allowing the trees to develop broad, naturally shaped crowns. This cultivation philosophy has been passed down from one generation to the next and remains one of the oldest surviving tea-growing traditions in Yiwu.

Zhangjiawan Today

Today, Zhangjiawan remains a peaceful mountain village hidden within the forests of historic Mansa. Its teas are celebrated for their elegant floral aromas, generous sweetness, silky texture, gentle astringency and long, refined finish.

Although the name Zhangjiawan may not yet enjoy the same worldwide recognition as Wangong or Bohetang, its remarkable history, ancient tea trees and position along one of the most important historical trade routes of Pu-erh make it one of the most authentic tea destinations in the whole of Yiwu.

Spring 2026 Tasting Notes

The first infusion immediately reveals extraordinary purity together with remarkable vigour. The liquor is simultaneously thick and silky, yet carries a subtle untamed roughness that reminds me this tea comes from the forests surrounding the abandoned old village of Zhangjiawan. Long after the original villagers moved further down the mountain, the ancient tea trees remained behind, quietly reclaiming their place within the wilderness. That feeling is unmistakably reflected in every cup.

Even after the first infusion has been poured, the empty fairness pitcher fills the room with an astonishing spectrum of aromas. It is one of those rare teas whose fragrance continues to evolve long after the liquor itself has disappeared.

The second infusion introduces an unusually captivating balance between sweetness and bitterness. Neither dominates the other. Instead, they intertwine so seamlessly that they become a single, harmonious flavour, creating a profile that is both distinctive and irresistibly enjoyable.

By the third infusion, the entire tea gains even greater depth and expression. The exceptional spring weather has given the leaves remarkable concentration while preserving outstanding clarity. Every flavour becomes more vivid, yet the liquor never loses its elegant balance.

The fourth infusion unmistakably reveals the historic character of Mansa. Those familiar with old Yiwu teas will immediately recognise its identity. Yet this year’s spring harvest expresses it with exceptional precision—crystal clear, vibrant and remarkably sharp, while remaining wonderfully refined.

For me, the sixth infusion is pure bliss. Even before taking a sip, simply bringing the cup close to the nose evokes the wild mountain forests from which these leaves originate. The aroma alone transports the imagination to the abandoned forests of old Zhangjiawan. After swallowing, a delicate yet remarkably persistent aftertaste lingers seemingly without end. The sweetness unfolds in beautiful waves, almost like a rhythm of long sweetness followed by a brief, lively burst of bitterness, before returning once again to sweetness.

Several outstanding infusions follow, gradually evolving towards warm sweet-spicy notes while retaining the remarkable purity that defines this tea. Throughout the session, Zhangjiawan expresses both the elegance of Yiwu and the forgotten wilderness of historic Mansa. It is a tea that does not overwhelm through sheer power, but through authenticity, complexity and an extraordinary ability to capture the spirit of a place that time has almost forgotten.