Dongguo Tea Village

Dongguo Tea District has unique characteristics. Although it is located on the western slope, it is very different from other villages on this slope. You can't see the eastern slope from here. It is often called "the eastern slope in the middle of the western slope." Separated from Bindao by a mountain range, it is 19 km to the administrative center of Mengku , 20 km to Shuangjiang County, located opposite Dahusai Village. The area is 2.88 square kilometers, the average annual temperature is 20 ° C, precipitation is 1750 mm, forest area is 7386.30 mu. The village consists of 11 small villages, a total of 442 households, a population of 1951 people, the main activity is tea production and walnut harvesting.

The largest number of ancient trees are in Yizhai (Chinese: 以寨, pinyin: Yǐzhài) and Moliè (Chinese: 磨烈, pinyin: Móliè). The Lahu people live in Yizhai. The oldest trees have a circumference of 160 cm. The ancient forest in Moliè looks majestic.

Dongguo Pu'er is dense, the buds are fat, covered with many villi, the leaves are fleshy, releasing a lot of water, the aftertaste is strong and with a bright character, the aroma of dry tea dissolves in the tea infusion, bringing the spirit of clarity, purity and a feeling of flight. Creates harmony and sets you up for peace.

Dry tea is tightly twisted thick, silvery villi are noticeable, the infusion is amber-colored, soft like liquid porridge, the smell is strong like the wind, the taste opens up like a peony bud. This puer has a character that cannot be confused with anything. This is a wonderful example of the combination of modern technology and the purest raw materials, a collector's item. Some people say that Dongguo puer is rich in specific substances, quite a strong bitterness turns into a long sweetness. In terms of balanced taste, it is inferior to Bindao and Bano tea, but the quality of the drink is excellent and the character is very bright. It has a single style with other Mengku teas.

Puer from Dongguo is not so noticeable in the glory of other teas of this region. Perhaps this is due to the long isolation of this place or to a fairly strong bitterness. But the unusual taste and character of the tea is worthy of the attention of puer lovers. After all, the sages are not satisfied with only popular things, they with a pure heart rush to search for something new, penetrating deeply.

Until the 90s of the 20th century, Dongguo was connected to the outside world by a small ancient path, in 2000 the road was widened with a tractor, and only in 2007 a highway was built. Due to isolation, local residents had no opportunity to get to the market and they lost many chances for successful implementation and popularization of their product. Outside Shuangjiang County, almost nothing is known about Dongguo, the annual production volume of more than 100 tons has not yet brought fame and a stable place in the market.

Perhaps because Dongguo tea was far from competing with other pu'er, its taste looks pure and high, and its sweetness is very fresh. Many people say that Bingdao's fame as the best tea under the Celestial Empire helped other teas from neighboring places to become famous. But Dongguo tea is truly a unique product. When talking about its main feature: strong bitterness and pleasant aftertaste, one chengyu is often mentioned: "苦尽甘来" (pinyin kǔjìngānlái). Which means: "After sorrow comes joy."