In Xishuangbanna, each tea mountain, tea village, has its own ethnic minorities, traditions, culture and tea making practices. These all produce teas that have unique qualities.

After Nan Nuo Shan, the tea mountain we most frequently visit is Bulang Shan. Here is a selection of photographs taken over three different occasions in early 2011.

These villages are accessible from both the north side (Menghun) of the range, and the south side (Bulang Xian) near the Burmese border. The road through Menghun is the mosty direct, with a new stone road up into the mountains which makes all these villages considerably more accessible than they were a few years ago.

Click here to see a map of Xishuangbanna Prefecture.

He Kai, Lao Man E and Lao Ban Zhang, Spring and Summer 2011

Looking down the steps from the temple behind Menghun. The original wooden temple burned down and has been replaced with a modern structure. Menghun is a Dai village on the edge of fertile rice plain to the north of the Bulang Shan Mountains. Dai people are Theravadan Buddhist.
leaving Menghun and heading south into the mountains of the Bulang Shan range, the first village one comes to is Hekai.
Hekai has a large surface area of old tea trees in and around the village. The village is predominantly Lahu.
We have been looking for some time for a ttea we like from Hekai. Recently we went to look at some trees near Hekai.
These trees are alll several hundred years old.
Tea gardens on the road from Hekai to Lao Ban Zhang.
Another tea garden in Hekai. Some of the trees on this hill are being picked by a company from Guangdong, some are picked by local farmers. Dai people also have trees here.
Lao Ban Zhang village. Early morning. Here, tea that was made the evening before is put out to dry.
A store for maize in Lao Ban Zhang.
Lao Man E. No more than a few years ago, the roofs of these traditional houses were all local tile - mostly made in a village near Meng Hun. The blue tile roofs are a sign of growing wealth.
This house still has a traditional tile roof.
Another sign of growing prosperity is this new temple in the village. Lao Man E is a Bulang village. The Bulang, like Dai people are Theravadan Buddhist. Poorer Bulang villages have rather simpler temples. It also reflects issues to do with availabilty of building materials.
Another view of Lao Man E
A roadside shrine in the village - Lao Man E.
A view from the old road from Hekai to Lao Ban Zhang. A new road was built in 2010, financed by one of the Menghai tea companies.
See Puer teas from this area
Raw Puerh tea from Bulang Shan 250 gram tea cake from Hekai Shan Qiu Yun, Zhi Zheng Puerh tea autumn tea cake
Raw Puerh tea, Lao Ban Zhang puerh tea from Bulang shan Kong Shan Xin Yu Zhi Zheng Raw Puerh Cake