The Nansheng ancient Tea mountain is located in the Mengsong Yao Nationality Township, Malipo County, Wenshan Prefecture. The township administers five villages: Mengsong Village, Kunlao Village, Bazi Village, Tongta Village, and Laotaoping Village. The township government is situated in Mengsong Street, 50 kilometers away from Malipo County's urban area. Mengsong Township is located in the southwestern part of Malipo County, with its main terrain being mountainous. The highest point, Dayakou Mountain Peak, is located northeast of Mengsong Village at an elevation of 2,378.6 meters; the lowest point, Tongta Manwen, is situated east of Tongta Village at an elevation of 246 meters. It has a subtropical monsoon climate, distinct seasons, rain and heat in the same season, abundant sunlight, good forest vegetation, an average annual temperature of about 18°C, and an annual rainfall of approximately 1,100 millimeters. The total population of the township is 14,500, with ethnic groups including the Yao, Miao, Zhuang, and Han, among which the Yao account for 47.78% of the total population and the Miao make up 38.69%.
Tea mountains picturesque like a painting
Ancient tea forests
Mengsong Township gets its name from the location of the township government in Mengsong Village. “Mengsong” is a Dai term, where “meng” means village and “song” (dong) refers to a basin, hence it means “village in the basin.” Four townships of Malipo County—Mengsong Township, Yangwan Township, Xiaojinfactory Township, and Malijizhen—were listed in the “Pu'er Tea Geographical Indication Product,” as places of origin. The county has a total of 35,000 mu of tea gardens, with over 5,200 mu of wild tea tree clusters. Among these, the total area of tea gardens in Mengsong Township is 16,000 mu, with nearly 4,000 mu of ancient tea gardens and several varieties of wild tea trees. On November 10, 2025, Mengsong Yao Nationality Township (tea) was recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs as one of the eleventh batch of national model towns and villages for “One Village, One Product.”
Group photo for remembrance
Ancient tea trees
In Xiaohedong, Malipo, there are cave sites from the Neolithic era, dating back about 3,700 years, proving that human activities occurred in this region over 3,000 years ago. Malipo County has a long history of growing and using tea. In the evolution and intermingling of human civilization over thousands of years, the local ancestors cultivated local varieties such as Malipo White-haired Tea, Nansheng Tea (Bazi Tea), Kuibu Tea, and Jinfactory Big Tea Tree. Large-scale variations of Pu'er tea named Nansheng Tea (also known as Daba Big Tree Tea) grow in Bazi Village and Tongta Village on Nansheng Mountain in Mengsong Township. These are seed-propagated arbor types, with straight-standing postures, sparse branching density, many young shoots covered with down, leaves growing horizontally, a long elliptical leaf shape, deep green color, slightly raised leaf surface, hard leaf texture, shallow leaf teeth, and belong to the medium-leaf type of cultivated tea. This variety is a low Caffeine special germplasm, with high and lasting aroma, fresh and refreshing taste, suitable for making Black Tea, Green Tea, and White Tea.
The author in the tea garden
Tea trees by the field
The township leaders accompanied this tea mountain journey, discussing how to name the ancient tea mountain? Calling it Malipo is too broad, calling it Laoshan Ancient Tea Mountain is also not very appropriate, as the mountain where the ancient tea grows is locally known as Nansheng Mountain. They decided to name it “Nansheng Ancient Tea Mountain.” The Nansheng Ancient Tea Mountain mainly consists of the Tongta Ancient Tea Garden and Chaping Mountain Ancient Tea Garden, etc.
The Tongta Ancient Tea Garden is located in the Tongta Village Committee of Mengsong Township. The ancient tea is mainly distributed in the middle of Nansheng Mountain, between 700 and 900 meters above sea level. The soil is yellow-brown earth and yellow earth, with good fertility. The surrounding natural environment is excellent. Large quantities of international endangered species, the Saurauia trees, grow beside the tea fields, along with extensive patches of wild bananas and other plants. Although dinosaurs have become extinct, their favorite foods still exist. A clear stream nourishes generations of Yao people and lush ancient tea trees. Standing in the tea garden, you can look into the distance at Laoshan, the main battlefield of the Sino-Vietnamese War, now a 4A-level scenic spot called “Laoshan Scenic Area.”
Tongta Ancient
Vegetation of the Tongta Ancient Tea Garden
The Tongta Ancient Tea Garden has over 200 mu of ancient tea. The oldest ancient tea tree is about 500 years old. The tea tree variety is Nansheng Tea (also known as Bazi Tea). The tea trees are mostly planted on ridges, with a main trunk standing about 2 meters tall. Due to the local tea farmers' use of “branch cutting” picking method, where they cut down branches and then pick them, the canopy forms a melon frame shape, which is an unscientific picking method that damages the tree form, resulting in low yield and difficulty in picking.
The main factors affecting tea quality include soil, tea variety, cultivation pattern, surrounding natural environment, and processing techniques. Improper cultivation, pruning, and picking methods have some impact on tea quality. At the same time, because the Nansheng tea variety is low in caffeine, the “tea qi” is weak. Good varieties from Yunnan, such as Lao Banzhang and Bingdao, could be introduced for partial grafting to improve tea quality. The Tongta Ancient Tea Garden is conveniently accessible, 45 kilometers from the county seat and 12 kilometers from the “Laoshan Scenic Area.” There is great room for improvement and excellent conditions for developing tea tourism integration.
The Chaping Mountain Ancient Tea Garden is located in the Bazi Village Committee of Mengsong Township, in the upper part of Nansheng Mountain, in the area ranging from 1,100 to 1,300 meters above sea level. The surrounding forest vegetation is good, with ample rainfall and high relative humidity. The mountains are often shrouded in mist. As high as the mountains, so is the water. The “Yao Family Terraced Fields” are preserved in the center of the tea garden, like the heart of the tea mountain, adding to its charm and beauty. The soil here is mainly yellow-brown earth, rich in mineral components, beneficial for tea tree growth. The core area has more than 800 mu