Deep in the heart of southwestern China the ancient tea mountains and forest regions north and south of the Lancang ( Mekong ) River ( in and around the tropical Xishuangbanna region of southern Yunnan province ) are home to Pu-erh tea. This post-fermented tea is one of China’s most unusual specialties. Pu-erh is primarily made into compressed, flat cakes of tea, although some loose-leaf versions of Pu-erh are also made. This style of tea making began during the Tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) when tea was traded for horses with people who lived along China’s borders. Tea trading became so important that the Tea Horse Route was established from southern Yunnan up over the mountains into Tibet and beyond. Caravans of men and horses endured perilous journeys that took as long as six months in each direction to reach their destination over dangerous and isolated mountain routes.
 

The most sought after versions of Pu-erh are made from leaf that has been plucked from ancient tea trees that are over         100 years of age and are 20-30 feet tall. The manufacturing process used to make Pu-erh tea is very different from that of other Chinese teas. Pu-erh tea cakes, also known as beeng cha, are made in two versions: raw sheng (natural post-fermentation) and ripe shou (artificial, accelerated fermentation). Sheng Pu-erh is the most prized; collectors and tea enthusiasts purchase young cakes to set aside to mellow and age over the years into something magnificent and rich in flavor, much as wine collectors do with bottles of fine wine. Shou Pu-erh is made for immediate drinking and is the most common style of Pu-erh enjoyed by households across China.

 

As in the past, the leaf for making the best Pu-erh tea cakes is collected from the forests of the 26 tea mountains and tea growing areas. Here, botannically unique broad leaf arbor trees known as Yunnan Dayeh ( a variant of Camellia Sinensis var. assamica ) produce large-sized buds and leaves which contribute to the unique flavor and nature of traditional sheng Pu-erh teas. Tea trees and bushes of several different ages make up the complexion of these tea growing regions: 1. Ancient tea trees ( qiao mu ) – those over 100 years old 2. Old tea trees ( da shu cha ) – those which are less than 100 years old 3. Small tea trees ( xiao qiao mu ) – those trees that are 50-100 years old 4. Cultivated tea bushes ( tai di cha ) - newly cultivated tea bushes that are less than 50 years old Most beeng cha is made from a blend of raw leaf material that features a percentage of old leaf, not a predominance of it, and a balance of leaf to buds. Pu-erh enthusiasts look for cakes that are carefully blended from good quality leaf that will transform and age into splendid tea with a well-honed balance of astringency, woodsy flavor and sweetness. All the components of taste should be harmonious and smooth. Each spring, buds emerge and new leaves unfold in the early days of pre-Qing Ming spring ( before May 5th ) and growth continues until the end of summer. As with other classes of Chinese tea, the best teas are those made from fresh, tender first of the season leaves and buds. All Pu-erh is pressed from mao cha, fresh leaf material that is de-enzymed to remove excess moisture by a kill-green step in a wood-fired tea firing pan; it is then rolled and twisted by hand to stimulate enzyme action within the leaf, and finally the mao cha is sun-dried into a semi-finished state. Sheng Pu-erh can be drunk young, but aging these tea cakes for a few years before drinking them enriches the youthful qualities of young arbor tea cakes with finesse, character and rich taste.

 

Sheng Pu-erh is said to have the following distinct characteristics: • High-mountain arbor tea tree leaves • A profusion of spring buds and large leaf • Sun-dried mao cha • Taste that is sweet and distinctive • Refinement of age from the effects of post-fermentation on the tea • Strong cha-qi (positive energy from a good environment and careful manufacture)

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