Cities > Fengqing County
Overview
Chinese Name: 凤庆县English Name: Fengqing County
Climate Conditions: Subtropical Monsoon Climate
Airport: Fengqing Zhonghe Airport
Background
Fengqing County, also known as Pumen, is the birthplace of world-famous Dianhong tea. The county has a long history of tea planting and production, featuring ancient tea trees cultivated from fragrant bamboo with an age of over 3200 years—known as the "Jinxi Tea King"—and boasts a tea plantation area of 300,000 acres. Dianhong tea has been presented as a national gift to foreign dignitaries, including the Queen of England and the Presidents and Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka. It is one of the top ten tea-producing counties in the country.Climate Characteristics
Fengqing County has a low-latitude highland (mountain) subtropical monsoon climate. The climate is mild, with a spring-like feel year-round, featuring distinct dry and wet seasons and a prominent three-dimensional climate. From November to April or May of the following year, it experiences a dry season influenced by the western monsoon climate, with prevalent south-west wind currents from tropical continental air. This season sees abundant sunny days, high solar radiation, significant temperature differences, less rainfall, and low humidity, providing good conditions for wintering. From late May to October, the region experiences the rainy season of the western monsoon climate, primarily influenced by strong and stable equatorial southwest airflows, resulting in heavy and relatively uniform rainfall, cloudy weather, little sunlight, low evaporation, and high humidity with moderate summer and autumn temperatures. The annual average temperature is 16.9°C, with the coldest month averaging 10.4°C and the warmest month averaging 21.1°C. The historical extreme maximum temperature is 32.8°C, while the extreme minimum temperature is -1.6°C. The annual average rainfall is 1366.6 mm, with rainfall from May to October accounting for 81% (1109.0 mm) of the total yearly precipitation. The maximum monthly rainfall is 486.7 mm, while the minimum monthly rainfall is zero. The annual average relative humidity is 73%, with a minimum relative humidity of 2%. The average frost-free period is 292 days per year. The total annual sunshine hours amount to 2005.2 hours, which is 46% of the potential sunshine hours. The annual average wind speed is 1.7 meters/second, with the most common wind direction being calm, followed by westerly winds, with a frequency of 10%. The maximum instantaneous wind speed was 33.0 meters/second, recorded on April 6, 1971, from the WNW direction. The annual average evaporation is 1828.3 mm, and the average number of thunderstorm days per year is 54.7. There are an average of 6 days of strong winds and 2.7 days of hail per year.Famous Attractions
Wanxiang Temple
Wanxiang Temple, currently known as Dongshan Temple, is located half a kilometer east of the county seat. It was built during the Jiajing period by the local official Meng Xiaozhong. In the 39th year of the Kangxi era (1700), monk Guangzhao renovated it. In the 5th year of the Guangxu period (1879), monk Zhentan rebuilt the main hall, wings, and front gate. Over the years, local gentlemen have donated funds for renovations and expansions, adding a theater, guest lounge, and northern garden. Yang Zhen from Jiangning praised the temple: “Riding east on the mountain road, dense trees greet the eye. The coming of monks signals nearness to the temple, and the curve of the bridge reveals the depth of the spring. The flying pavilion resonates with the mountain rain, while clear smoke dances across the distant peaks, refreshing all worries among these clear surroundings—wine cup in hand prompts wild verses.”Yulong Pool and Heilong Pool
Yulong Pool and Heilong Pool are situated atop the mountain, straddling the boundary between Xiaowan Town and Fengshan Town, with altitudes ranging from 2400 to 2860 meters. They are approximately 10 kilometers from the new town of Xiaowan and currently belong to the Lancangjiang Provincial Nature Reserve. Yulong Pool was originally a natural water pool. Legend has it that a small white dragon resides here, summoning rain during droughts to irrigate farmlands in places like Azaoshan, Shitouzhai, Juacao Dam, and Agu Village. In the early 1970s, in order to develop water conservancy, this pool was converted into a small reservoir capable of storing over 1.2 million cubic meters of water.Local Specialties
Dianhong Tea
Fengqing County has a long-standing history of tea cultivation and production. It is home to ancient tea trees with ages reaching over 3200 years, featuring more than 20,000 acres of ancient tea gardens cultivated before the Republic of China and over 30,000 acres of wild ancient tea trees. In 1939, tea expert Feng Shaoqiu established the Shunning Tea Factory (now Dianhong Group) in Fengqing. The red tea produced there has gained international fame and has been offered as a national gift to the Queen of England, the President, and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, among other foreign dignitaries.Mengyou Mountain Pickled Vegetables
Fengqing Mengyou mountain pickled vegetables are made from large-leaf vegetables grown in the high-altitude areas of Mengyou, utilizing traditional pickling methods. The process involves manually cleaning, naturally sun-drying, and then pickling in clay jars for over six months to produce pure ecological pickled vegetables, unlike those found in the general market that are rapidly made. These pickled vegetables have a unique flavor, beautiful color, and are naturally healthy.Baidou Tea
Baidou tea is a unique traditional tea custom in Fengqing and a popular drinking method among the local Yi and Dai people in Xinping Yi and Dai Autonomous County. Older members of the Yi and Dai communities particularly enjoy baked tea. During the preparation, a small tile is heated over the fire, and local tea leaves are added. The leaves are gently shaken while being roasted until they turn yellow and give off a fragrant aroma. The tea is then poured into a cup and steeped with boiling water. It is essential to ensure the tea leaves are roasted to perfection—if undercooked, the unique flavor won't emerge; if overcooked, the leaves become burnt and lose their flavor. This requires hundreds of gentle shakings to ensure even heating, which is why it is called Baidou tea.Baba Roll
The main ingredients include rice Baba, crispy rice crust, thin pea flour, and various seasonings. The thin pea flour and crispy rice crust are made from pea flour, selecting local FQ hemp peas. This dish can serve as breakfast or snacks, and the crispy rice crust can be enjoyed as a snack as well. Alternatively, the crisp crust can be fried into rolls for added flavor and crunchiness. The Baba can also be wrapped around fried dough sticks for a unique taste. When torn into small pieces and added to delicious Fengqing beef rice noodles, it creates a classic breakfast combination beloved by locals.Walnuts
Fengqing walnuts have a long cultivation history, approximately over 3000 years, as confirmed by experts. Most walnuts grow in the natural ecological environments of mountainous areas and deep valleys, making them pollution-free. They are characterized by large size, thin shells, white kernels, aromatic taste, and high oil content. They are traditional export goods and are often referred to as the "Hometown of Chinese Walnuts."Termitomyces Albuminosus
Fengqing is one of the primary locations for Termitomyces Albuminosus, an authentic wild mushroom variety that grows from termite mounds. Locals refer to the mound where these delicious mushrooms grow as "Chicken Pine Earthen Pot." These earthen pots appear underground as round or oval shapes, resembling a wasp's nest. To date, no one has been able to cultivate these tasty Chicken Pine mushrooms like termites do. These mushrooms typically appear after thunderstorms around the time of the Torch Festival (June 24-25 in the lunar calendar) and the Moon Half Festival (July 14 in the lunar calendar). Chicken Pine mushrooms cannot be preserved easily and only grow in the rainy season, so they are often processed into oil Chicken Pine for preservation and serving.Mountain Pepper Sauce
The process of making mountain pepper sauce is not complicated. It requires several seasonings, primarily including small chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and fermented soybeans. First, mountain peppercorns are picked from the branches and washed clean. They are then salted for a while. Small chilies and garlic are chopped finely, and the ginger is sliced. The mountain peppercorns are mixed together with fermented soybeans, chopped small chilies, garlic, and ginger, creating a refreshing and appetizing mountain pepper sauce. The prepared sauce is stored in glass or other containers and kept in the refrigerator for extended preservation. The resulting mountain pepper sauce is spicy, delicious, and aromatic, exuding a wild flavor that enhances appetite. It has become a favorite condiments on dining tables and is a specialty of Fengqing County.
