As stated in the book “Newly Compiled Yunnan General Gazetteer: Examination of Local Products – Tea,” written in the 1940s, “The name Puer tea holds a special place among Chinese teas, far surpassing those from Anhui, Fujian, Zhejiang, and other regions.”
Puer tea is a gift from heaven and also one of nature's most generous gifts to humanity. It is a purely natural product that has survived the process of natural selection. As time progresses and technology advances, we should have a deeper understanding and appreciation of Puer tea.
Puer tea is a solid-state naturally post-Fermented tea. Microorganisms and enzymes invisible to the naked eye participate in the fermentation process, producing secondary metabolites with beneficial biological activity. These substances provide functions such as antibacterial, anti-tumor, antioxidant properties, and promote metabolism in the human body.
In line with the conventional thinking of most tea-producing areas in China, if we categorize teas by geographical location, color, or production method, Puer tea cannot be grouped together with them.
Puer historically served as a distribution center for Puer tea, unlike teas named after their places of origin like Longjing, Huangshan Maofeng, Xinyang Maojian, and Wuyi rock teas.
Some people classify raw Puer tea as green tea and categorize it as dark tea based on its liquor color. Personally, I find both classifications inappropriate. These are simplistic attributions based on appearance and do not align with reality.
If categorized by production method, Puer tea and dark tea can both be classified as post-fermented teas, but there are significant differences in their fermentation processes, degree, timing, and procedures. Dark tea undergoes artificial heavy post-fermentation, where the role of microorganisms in the fermentation process diminishes significantly after processing. In contrast, Puer tea is naturally post-fermented. From the start of processing, plant enzymes and microorganisms jointly drive the fermentation process, and this microbial enzymatic action continues for years after the tea is finished, adapting to changes in fermentation conditions.
We believe that the production techniques of Puer tea are the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancestors of the southwestern ethnic minorities, and they differ fundamentally from those used in most tea-producing areas in China. Here is a summary:
I. Difference in Tea Tree Varieties
Puer tea comes from tall trees with large and medium-sized leaves, while most tea-producing areas in China use trees with smaller or medium-sized leaves, which are shrub-like.
II. Difference in Tea Resources
Traditional Puer tea production involves using the entire plant: buds, leaves, stalks, old leaves, and yellow leaves. In contrast, most tea-producing areas in China only use buds and leaves.
III. Geographic Difference
Puer tea is a unique geographical product of Yunnan province. It grows in the golden belt of the Earth, located between 21° and 24° north latitude, an area known for its biodiversity. Biologists estimate that this region covers only one-fifth of the Earth's land surface but supports nearly half of its biodiversity. The diversity and richness of microorganisms play an irreplaceable role in the post-fermentation of Puer tea.
The tea-producing areas of other tea types in China are generally further north, where microorganisms do not play a significant role in the production of various teas.
IV. Ecological Difference
Puer tea grows in gullies and ravines in areas with high biodiversity. The term “wearing a hat on top and shoes at the bottom” refers to most tea trees growing under the shade of larger trees and amidst a rich variety of vegetation, with a certain distance between each plant.
In most tea-producing areas in China, the ecological environment of tea trees is not as favorable as in Yunnan, and they are often large-scale artificial plantations with highly monotonous ecosystems.
V. Climatic Difference
Puer tea grows in high-altitude, low-latitude areas in Yunnan, where winters are mild and summers are not scorching. There is a clear distinction between the rainy and dry seasons. Tea plants prefer shade and moisture and require diffused light. No other tea-producing area in China has such excellent environmental and climatic conditions.
VI. Altitude Difference
Puer tea grows at altitudes ranging from 800 meters to over 2,000 meters. Most tea-producing areas in China have average altitudes lower than those in the Puer tea-growing regions. The temperature differences between day and night, humidity levels, and the formation and stability of characteristic microbial communities at high altitudes enhance the accumulation of substances in tea plants, determining the unique processing methods for high-quality teas.
VII. Soil Difference
Most regions in Yunnan have karst landscapes. The soil is mainly weathered red earth, rich in nutrients and well-draining, making it ideal for tea tree growth. Tall tree-type tea plants can withstand richer mineral soils, resulting in high-quality tea raw materials.
The distribution of most tea-producing areas for other tea types in China is widespread, with significant variations in soil conditions.
VIII. Fermentation Process
A key point worthy of independent study is that Puer tea, as a natural post-fermented tea, possesses three elements not found in other tea types: microorganisms, enzymes, and tea substrates, along with its unique production techniques. This is entirely different from the processing methods used in most tea-producing areas in China.
With the development of modern biotechnology and improved precision of scientific instruments, we apply pure culture combined with high-throughput sequencing techniques to sequence and classify both cultivable and uncultivable bacteria involved in Puer tea fermentation. We analyze the types and quantities of microorganisms in Puer tea during fermentation, along with their composition and changes throughout the production process. Using proteomics, we detect enzyme types, quantities, and biological activities, elucidating the fermentation process and mechanisms. At the same time, we conclude that the processing of Puer tea should take into account the activity and function of microorganisms. Processing techniques should maximize the diversity and richness of nutritional sources in the tea substrate.
Guided by a dedicated and meticulous scientific spirit, an open and creative mindset, and independent and rigorous practical abilities, we should strengthen research in all aspects of Puer tea, from picking, sorting, pan-firing, kneading, sun-drying, blending, to pressing into cakes. We should demonstrate the uniqueness of Puer Tea processing techniques and showcase its distinctive charm, allowing time to bear fruit.
Puer tea has always been the tea of teas, both a national treasure and a global wonder. We have no reason not to face history and reality and embark on a new chapter of independent research on Puer tea.
Therefore, we call for Puer tea to be studied as a distinct category of tea. Like human life, knowledge ages. There is no need to cling to textbooks, get entangled in certain concepts and viewpoints; our understanding and perception of Puer tea need constant updating.
Originally published in the “Puer” magazine.