TeaSeek: The Story About Mansong Pu Erh Of Yibang Tea Mountain (2)

Mansong Pu Erh tea absorbs the essence of the heaven and earth. Spring buds with small leave, really don’t look like the larger leave species, however, it has mild and delicate taste, long-lasting tea flavor. The green tea leaves in the clay pots sometimes are dancing and sometimes are quite and stand still like a leave in the deep pond. Every vegetation has its soul. I’m wondering that, was the tea leaves poetic lady falling into the earth or a wealthy and gifted gentleman wondering about all corners of the country. After all, it’s extraordinary.

In the history, a catastrophe once happened in the Prince Mountain. In order to escape the killing of the rulers of the Qing Dynasty, a 16-year-old prince of Nanming family (Nanming is a regime founded in the Southern China by the members of the royal family and dignitaries of the Ming Dynasty escaped from Beijing) went and seek refuge from the grandchild of the king of tribute tea with the help of his servants. The grandchild of the king of tribute tea withdrew from society and lived in solitude to protect the boy. Afterwards, the grandchild of the king of tribute tea buried the prince of the Nanming regime. Then, this mountain was called as the Prince Mountain. The horizontal inscribed board with “Rui Gong Tian Chao” was burnt down before the death of the grandchild of the king of tribute tea. The glory of Mansong pu erh tea disappeared with the predestined relationship between the emperor and his officials. The ruin of Yibang was caused by a conflict between ethnic minorities. People of Youle Mountain revolted and attacked Yibang. Yibang was being burnt down after a fire lasting for about three days and nights, left nothing in ancient town built for hundreds of years.

Tea farmers of Yibang couldn’t be traced any more. In Late Qing Dynasty, tea farmers should present 5,000 Kg tea to royal court and 10,000 Kg tea to officials with all kinds of level, which was a heavy burden to the farmers. The farmers of the Prince Mountain within an area 25 Km in circumference cannot bear the burden, therefore, they cut down the tea trees and escaped, and never returned to Mansong. The local tea farmers have left Mansong however the migrants who later came from Shiping and Sichuan were not good at tea-planting, thus, the annual output of no more than 100 Kg pu erh tea is taken as the legacy of Mansong tribute tea.

There are 8 pair of leaf vain in every piece of mature Mansong tea leaves, a kind of standard middle leaf tea species. Why is the Puer tea made from large leaf species not better than Mansong pu erh tea? I doubt it’s due to the mild nature of Mansong pu erh tea, that is, fairness and peace. The light yellow tea infusion is extremely beautiful. It tastes mellow without bitterness and astringency. Its aftertaste is sweet accompanying with aroma. There will be no regret leaving for you. Mansong pu erh tea really like Confucians, perfect showing the inner spirit of the doctrine of induced positive.