Pu’er tea

Pu'er tea only serves as a supplementary health-preserving function; do not treat it as the "master key" to well-being and fitness. Combining it with a regular diet and appropriate exercise is the healthiest and most effective way to enjoy the benefits of Pu'er. Pu'er Tea Taboos ▼ The saying goes: "When drinking tea, suit your taste." However, more importantly, you need to consider whether your body can tolerate it. In other words, you should drink Pu'er tea according to your constitution. Fortunately, Pu'er comes in raw and ripe varieties, which can accommodate most people. 1. Avoid drinking tea on an empty stomach Drinking tea on an empty stomach can chill the lungs and stomach. It can dilute gastric juices, reducing digestive functions. With high water absorption rates, harmful components from the tea leaves may enter the bloodstream in large quantities, causing symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, and weakness in the limbs. 2. Avoid drinking tea immediately before or after meals It is not advisable to drink a large amount of tea about 20 minutes before or after a meal, especially strong tea. Doing so can dilute gastric juices and affect digestion. According to traditional Chinese medicine, "bitter coldness will harm…

For those just starting to learn about Pu'er tea, you may not know where to start, as many concepts, common knowledge, and terms related to Pu'er tea are unfamiliar. This is an article designed to help beginners quickly understand Pu'er tea. ◎What is Pu'er tea? Pu'er tea originates from the Lancang River basin in southern and western Yunnan. It is made from the fresh leaves of large-leaf tea trees in Yunnan, processed into various compressed teas through steaming and compression, and then aged over a certain period of time. Alternatively, it can be made by post-fermenting sun-dried green tea from large-leaf tea trees in Yunnan, resulting in compressed or loose Pu'er tea. ◎What is raw (sheng) tea? The large-leaf tea grown in Yunnan is processed through sun-withering and directly compressed into cakes, tuos, or bricks, which are referred to as raw cakes, raw tuos, and raw bricks. Uncompressed tea is called maocha (rough tea). ◎What is ripe (shou) tea? The large-leaf tea grown in Yunnan undergoes sun-withering followed by pile fermentation and is then compressed into cakes, tuos, or bricks, known as ripe cakes, ripe tuos, and ripe bricks. ◎How do you distinguish between raw and ripe Pu'er tea? There…

Baihua Tan is one of the representative production areas of the wild aroma type in Yiwu, located in the Yao Autonomous Township of Mengla County. The tea here is characterized by its robust quality, wild flavor, strong burst, and ample tea energy. Baihua Tan's Geographical Location Baihua Tan is situated in the Yao Autonomous Township of Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The environment for producing Pu'er tea here is uniquely distinctive. It is located at the confluence of the Tongjing River, Bulong River, and Jinguang River, forming a special "tan" or pool. This area boasts dense primeval forests, high altitude, abundant water systems, and a favorable ecological environment, providing ideal conditions for the growth of ancient tea trees. The ancient tea trees grown in such an environment absorb the essence of nature, creating Pu'er tea with unique qualities and flavors. The Ancient Tea Garden in Baihua Tan The ancient tea garden in Baihua Tan is a place full of mystery and charm. Hidden deep within the mountains and forests, it is surrounded by lush vegetation, offering an excellent ecological environment. The ancient tea trees here are tall and sturdy, having endured the passage of time, demonstrating remarkable…

Moldy tea is harmful to health and should not be consumed, we all know this. However, sometimes tea enthusiasts express difficulty in distinguishing between moldy tea, "golden flowers," and "white frost." What are the differences between moldy tea, "golden flowers," and "white frost"? Moldy Tea Tea leaves that have gone moldy generally grow white fuzz and emit a musty smell. Severely moldy tea can become rotten and clump together, with green fuzz growing on top, and Pu'er tea may also develop black mold. However, some premium varieties such as Biluochun, Mao Feng, Yunwu tea, Dian Hong, Tuocha, Pu'er, and others, have white down on their leaves. This is due to the tea's tenderness and not the white fuzz that grows when tea has molded. According to Academician Chen Zongmao of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and researcher at the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, tea becomes moldy due to contamination by Penicillium and Aspergillus, which can produce toxins like aflatoxin (classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization, it is an extremely toxic substance). Aflatoxin is heat-resistant and cannot be eliminated through high-temperature cooking.…

Some people prefer raw tea, while others prefer ripe tea—it's a matter of personal preference. Since its inception, ripe tea has always held a lower status. Deng Shi Hai says, "Store raw tea, drink ripe tea, savor aged tea." While he doesn't directly exclude ripe tea, the word used for raw tea is "store," which suggests treasuring it, and for aged tea, the serious "savor" is employed, whereas ripe tea is dismissed with the ordinary "drink." This indicates that in his view, ripe tea was never considered a tea fit for formal settings. However, there are many who enjoy drinking ripe tea—why is this so? The Taste of Pu'er Ripe Tea Most tea enthusiasts might find the taste of ripe tea strange upon their first sip, but "strange" doesn't necessarily mean unpleasant; it just doesn't conform to the traditional tastes of other teas. The reason ripe tea was created was to replace the rich and mellow old raw tea. During a specific historical period, it did fulfill this mission. However, fresh ripe tea often carries an indelible pile flavor, which is a significant drawback that makes it difficult for many enthusiasts to approach. Clearly, such ripe tea isn't a suitable…

Mansong Pu'er tea is produced in the northern part of Mengla County, Yunnan Province, within the Yibang tea mountain area. It mainly grows on Prince Mountain at an altitude of about 1,400 meters, covering an area of approximately 20 square kilometers. Historically, Mansong tea was designated as tribute tea, earning the names "Standing Tea" and "Upright Tea," which were greatly favored by emperors. When brewed, it stands upright and suspended in the cup, remaining undisturbed for a long time, symbolizing "officials paying homage" and "the eternal stability of the empire." The aroma of Mansong Pu'er tea is rich, with notes of greenish bitterness, floral and fruity sweetness, and orchid fragrance; its flavor lingers, feeling smooth yet firm on the tongue when first tasted, with a thick and delicate texture. The greenish bitterness continuously transforms into a rich sweetness, accompanied by a bright orchid fragrance that fills the mouth. Characteristics of the Origin of Mansong Pu'er Tea The Mansong tribute tea region is located within the Yibang ancient tea mountain area in Xiangming Township. The local Yibang tea is best represented by Mansong tea, leading to the saying "taste Mansong, see Yibang." Mansong Village is renowned as a source of tribute…

Many tea enthusiasts have a common question: Is Pu'er tea better when it's blended or single-origin? In the subconscious of most Chinese people, pure bloodlines are considered superior. What is Blended and Single-Origin Tea? Popular terms in the Pu'er tea industry include small production areas, famous mountains, and ancient single-origin... Among these, "ancient single-origin" is the most beautiful yet dangerous term. Strictly speaking, single-origin refers to tea leaves of the same grade picked from the same tree at the same time. However, following this standard, the tea leaves from one tree would hardly make a few cakes of tea. The large quantities of so-called ancient tree single-origin teas that can be sold for years make "single-origin" a somewhat misleading term to some extent. Blended tea, on the other hand, refers to tea leaves from different origins but the same quality, or from the same origin but different grades, mixed according to a specific formula. During the production process, the blender combines the characteristics of the tea to create unique blends with distinct color, aroma, taste, and appearance. Comparison of Pros and Cons, and Common Blends Single-Origin Tea Advantages △ Easy to identify △ Unlikely to have impurities in the tea…

Basic Introduction to Lancang Ancient TeaLancang is one of the original birthplaces of tea trees, the hometown of Pu'er tea, with a long and splendid tea culture. Within its borders lies the Jingmai Mangjing Ten Thousand Mu Ancient Tea Garden, which has been cultivated for over 1,300 years, as well as the thousand-year-old Bongwei Large Tea King Tree, a transitional type. The Jingmai Mangjing Ten Thousand Mu Ancient Tea Garden is the largest in area, longest in cultivation history, and relatively intact man-cultivated ancient tea garden discovered so far in China. It is hailed by scholars at home and abroad as a "World Tea Tree Museum" and a "Living Fossil of Tea Varieties."Today, tea production in Lancang has become a pillar industry for the local area, with a total tea area of 360,000 mu (approximately 24,000 hectares), including 28,000 mu (about 1,867 hectares) of ancient tea gardens. About 280,000 people in 68,000 households are engaged in tea cultivation and production, with an average tea income per household of 5,412 yuan. When reporters visited the ancient villages of the Lahu, Dai, and Bulang ethnic groups on Mount Jingmai, they saw tea gardens hidden beneath primeval forests. Villagers set up their tea…

"Color, fragrance, taste, and appearance" are the four key quality factors of tea, with fragrance accounting for the largest proportion and the widest variety. In addition to the common floral and fruity aromas found in many types of tea, Pu'er tea also has unique aromas such as ginseng and aged fragrances. For beginners, identifying and distinguishing these aromas can be relatively difficult. For seasoned tea enthusiasts, however, the aroma of tea can be divided into five levels: "fragrance on water," "aroma entering water," "water containing fragrance," "water giving birth to fragrance," and "water is fragrance." In this article about tea fragrances, Lu Li will introduce several unique aromas specific to Pu'er tea and share some personal insights into the fragrance of Pu'er tea. Jujube and Caramel Aromas: Pyrazines, Pyrroles, and Furans Caramel aroma is a characteristic scent of Pu'er tea, especially in those made from coarser, older leaves that contain abundant pectin and sugars, which can produce more soluble sugars during fermentation. Many sugars have a naturally sweet aroma, and after caramelization, their fragrance becomes even richer, with a strong enhancing effect. When mixed with woody aromas, it can create an aroma similar to dried jujubes, which is a common…

Pu-erh TeaTime for a cup of Pu-erh tea in China?The Pu-erh Tea treesDating back to the Cenozoic period of about 65 million years ago, the Pu-erh tea trees are possibly the oldest tea trees in China and even the world.The Chinese Pu-erh tea trees are growing in the subtropical zones in the South China provinces. They are also found in northern Vietnam, Burma, Thailand and India. However, they grow best in the moist valleys between the elevations of 1200-1400m above sea level, primarily in the forest in the South Yunnan Province of China.The trees are an evergreen woody plant growing as trees in arbors or as bushes. The bushes are mostly cultivated but trees can grow up to 5 to 15 meters tall with a diameter of over 1 meter. The leaves measure 4 – 15cm. Because of tis leaf size they also called "big leave tea trees" in comparison with smaller leaved trees and bushes.The oldest tea tree (No.01) found in the wilderness in Yunnan is 2700yrs old, located in Qianjiazhai, Zhenyuan. It was discovered in 1991 and measures 25m tall and 1m in diameter. It was awarded the "oldest tea tree". The surrounding area is dominated by other…