A significant part of our aim is to provide good information to those interested in the Puer teas of Yunnan.
The tea market in Yunnan is particularly complex. We believe it is important to provide good information for those interested in tea and to potential customers to help guide you through the local tea market and to enable you, if you decide to buy tea, to make a better informed choice.
The tea market in Yunnan is particularly complex. We believe it is important to provide good information for those interested in tea and to potential customers to help guide you through the local tea market and to enable you, if you decide to buy tea, to make a better informed choice.
Welcome to our Classroom
The main variety of tea tree in Yunnan is the broad leaf varietal (da ye), Camelia Sinensis Assamica. Further categorisation is normally in this manner: 'Ancient' or 'Tall' Tea trees (gu shu /qiao mu ), which are generally considered to be more than 100 years old and 'Old' Tea Trees (da shu cha) which are less than 100 years old. The term 'Small Tall Tree' (xiao qiao mu) is sometimes used to denote a tree between 50 and 100 years old, alternatively referred to as huang di cha - considered to be of lesser quality than old and ancient tea trees. Tree size can vary considerably with area and there are also some regional variations in categorising trees - what is considered an da shu in one area may be called xiao qiao mu in another.
Terms such as 'Wild' (ye sheng), 'Wild' Tall Tree and 'Antique Arboreal' Tree are common. In reality, there is a limited amount of tea produced from truly wild tea trees. Most commonly, whatever the name, most older tea trees are cultivated trees that have been, for a variety of reasons, left unmanaged for a substantial period of time and are now left to grow naturally with minimal human intervention.
Cultivated bush tea (guan mu cha) refers simply to a method of planting that was introduced in the 1930's where tea bushes are planted in rows. Cultivated bushes (tai di cha), grown from old tea tree seeds are very common and there have been extensive programmes of replanting, notably in the latter half of the 20th Century when big tea factories engaged in clearing and replanting to increase productivity and meet a growing demand for Puer. The tea from these tea trees is generally thought to be inferior, not least because of the widespread use of agro-chemicals in their cultivation. In recent years people have also begun to cultivate the Small Leaf Varietal (xiao ye) brought from other parts of China.
Terms such as 'Wild' (ye sheng), 'Wild' Tall Tree and 'Antique Arboreal' Tree are common. In reality, there is a limited amount of tea produced from truly wild tea trees. Most commonly, whatever the name, most older tea trees are cultivated trees that have been, for a variety of reasons, left unmanaged for a substantial period of time and are now left to grow naturally with minimal human intervention.
Cultivated bush tea (guan mu cha) refers simply to a method of planting that was introduced in the 1930's where tea bushes are planted in rows. Cultivated bushes (tai di cha), grown from old tea tree seeds are very common and there have been extensive programmes of replanting, notably in the latter half of the 20th Century when big tea factories engaged in clearing and replanting to increase productivity and meet a growing demand for Puer. The tea from these tea trees is generally thought to be inferior, not least because of the widespread use of agro-chemicals in their cultivation. In recent years people have also begun to cultivate the Small Leaf Varietal (xiao ye) brought from other parts of China.
Identification and Verification
It is hard to tell the difference between the leaves from these different trees in the dried form, but it is easier to detect which type of tree a leaf came from once it has been steeped.
There are some popular misconceptions about what an ancient or old tea tree leaf looks like - many people assume that the bigger the leaf, the older the tree. It is not that simple. An old tree quite likely will have less vigorous growth than a younger tree and may produce smaller leaves with shorter stems. The leaves and stems are likely to be thicker than those of cultivated varieties. New leaf tips can be a different shape and the edges of the leaves can also be an indicator, with older trees having less regular serrations on the leaf margins.
Other factors, such as the position on the tree - south or north facing , where the leaves are on the tree - higher or lower, also play a part as the amount of sun a leaf gets will affect its growth.
Once Mao Cha has been pressed into cakes it becomes a little more difficult to identify leaf scources because the pressing process tends to break up the tea leaves so there are less whole leaves in a tea cake or bing.
With cooked Shu Cha or Cooked Puer there is no way to identify the original tea leaf origins because the 'cooking' process changes the leaf characteristics. For this, and other reasons, some Puer connoisseurs do not drink cooked Puer.
It is hard to tell the difference between the leaves from these different trees in the dried form, but it is easier to detect which type of tree a leaf came from once it has been steeped.
There are some popular misconceptions about what an ancient or old tea tree leaf looks like - many people assume that the bigger the leaf, the older the tree. It is not that simple. An old tree quite likely will have less vigorous growth than a younger tree and may produce smaller leaves with shorter stems. The leaves and stems are likely to be thicker than those of cultivated varieties. New leaf tips can be a different shape and the edges of the leaves can also be an indicator, with older trees having less regular serrations on the leaf margins.
Other factors, such as the position on the tree - south or north facing , where the leaves are on the tree - higher or lower, also play a part as the amount of sun a leaf gets will affect its growth.
Once Mao Cha has been pressed into cakes it becomes a little more difficult to identify leaf scources because the pressing process tends to break up the tea leaves so there are less whole leaves in a tea cake or bing.
With cooked Shu Cha or Cooked Puer there is no way to identify the original tea leaf origins because the 'cooking' process changes the leaf characteristics. For this, and other reasons, some Puer connoisseurs do not drink cooked Puer.
Different Area Different Flavour
Apart from the quality of the leaf produced by each kind of tree and the method of processing, each area also produces a different kind of tea. Much akin to the importance of terroire with French wine, Puer from each different area has different qualities and tea drinkers will often prefer one over another. Unlike the French wine system of regional or domaine classifications, there is no strict rule about how an area is defined, so tea could be sold as Lao Ban zhang, but it could actually come from, say Xin Bang Zhang (New Ban Zhang as opposed to Old Ban Zhang). This is a small difference but the tea may well have a different flavour. What is geographically considered to be Lao Ban Zhang is quite clear and there is a general acceptance of what 'Lao Ban Zhang' tea tastes like, but within that there are variations - not all 'Lao Ban Zhang' tastes the same. This is partly due to local topography which has created many micro-climates, but also, height above sea level, soil characteristics and orientation all have an effect on the flavour of tea leaves.
Apart from the quality of the leaf produced by each kind of tree and the method of processing, each area also produces a different kind of tea. Much akin to the importance of terroire with French wine, Puer from each different area has different qualities and tea drinkers will often prefer one over another. Unlike the French wine system of regional or domaine classifications, there is no strict rule about how an area is defined, so tea could be sold as Lao Ban zhang, but it could actually come from, say Xin Bang Zhang (New Ban Zhang as opposed to Old Ban Zhang). This is a small difference but the tea may well have a different flavour. What is geographically considered to be Lao Ban Zhang is quite clear and there is a general acceptance of what 'Lao Ban Zhang' tea tastes like, but within that there are variations - not all 'Lao Ban Zhang' tastes the same. This is partly due to local topography which has created many micro-climates, but also, height above sea level, soil characteristics and orientation all have an effect on the flavour of tea leaves.
Seasons
Xishuangbanna, being in the northern region of the sub-tropics has only two seasons; A wet season between May and October and a dry season. None-the-less tea is generally said to be picked over three seasons, spring tea being the most sought after. Autumn tea is the next most popular followed by summer tea which is generally of poorer quality. Tea is rarely, if ever, picked in the winter. Tea that is picked as early as January or February will be referred to as 'Early Spring' tea. Tea from each season has a different flavour. Variations in weather in any given season can also greatly affect the quality of tea produced. So for example, a particularly wet spring will produce tea leaves that have grown more quickly. They will have a higher water content -even if it was still possible to sun dry the leaves. Because of this these leaves will make weaker, poorer quality tea.
Spring tea is generally defined by three periods; First Flush (da chun or tou chun - 'beginning of spring'), Second Flush (er chun - 'second spring'), and Third Flush (chun wei - 'end of spring'). Fourth Flush (yu shui - 'rainfall') is sometimes called Summer Tea. Autumn Flush (gu hua) also has only one time period which can be anywhere from September to the beginning of November.
Spring teas are also sometimes referred to by number, i.e. No 1 for 1st Flush etc. In Xishuangbanna Tou Chun is considered the best. This generally falls in April ; sometimes said to be after Spring Festival around the time of another national holiday - Qing Ming Jie, however it may well come later depending on climactic conditions.
Xishuangbanna, being in the northern region of the sub-tropics has only two seasons; A wet season between May and October and a dry season. None-the-less tea is generally said to be picked over three seasons, spring tea being the most sought after. Autumn tea is the next most popular followed by summer tea which is generally of poorer quality. Tea is rarely, if ever, picked in the winter. Tea that is picked as early as January or February will be referred to as 'Early Spring' tea. Tea from each season has a different flavour. Variations in weather in any given season can also greatly affect the quality of tea produced. So for example, a particularly wet spring will produce tea leaves that have grown more quickly. They will have a higher water content -even if it was still possible to sun dry the leaves. Because of this these leaves will make weaker, poorer quality tea.
Spring tea is generally defined by three periods; First Flush (da chun or tou chun - 'beginning of spring'), Second Flush (er chun - 'second spring'), and Third Flush (chun wei - 'end of spring'). Fourth Flush (yu shui - 'rainfall') is sometimes called Summer Tea. Autumn Flush (gu hua) also has only one time period which can be anywhere from September to the beginning of November.
Spring teas are also sometimes referred to by number, i.e. No 1 for 1st Flush etc. In Xishuangbanna Tou Chun is considered the best. This generally falls in April ; sometimes said to be after Spring Festival around the time of another national holiday - Qing Ming Jie, however it may well come later depending on climactic conditions.
Processing
The most prized tea leaves are single tips ( dan ya- which means single tooth), followed by single tip and leaf (yi ya yi ye - one tip, one leaf) and then single tip, two leaves (yi ya liang ye) and so on. It is rare to get one tip, three leaves, or more. Some of the best tea however is made by ordinary people who for generations have been picking tea, but who do not single out say, dan ya, when they are picking or sorting leaves. The result is that a lot of high quality Puer will be a mix of the three above formations.
Once the tea leaves have been picked they are spread out to wilt, normally for an hour or two after which they are lightly 'fried' in a large wok. This is done using a wood fire, that is controlled so that the temperature of the the wok does not reach much above 70 degrees centigrade. The tea leaves are turned continuously in the wok during this process and may reach 40C or so. Besides needing to control the temperature, if the leaves are not lifted and turned enough, or too many are put in the wok at one time, it can result in a poor quality tea. It is a matter of fine judgement to decide when the leaves have been fried enough; this will depend on the particular leaves, the weather, the heat of the wok, etc. This process is referred to as 'killing green' (sha qing). A cylindrical oven equipped with a revolving drum and a fan to blow hot air through is sometimes used, but this method is inferior to hand frying.
The leaves are then rolled by hand before being laid out in the sun. It takes some skill to do this well as it is during this part of the process that the cell walls of the leaves are ruptured, which allows fermentation to begin, but it's important that the rolling is not too heavy-handed. The tea leaves are left to rest before being rolled a second time and then laid out on drying platforms to dry. Machine rolling is also quite common and many tea farmers have one, but again, the results are less desirable than well hand-rolled tea.
If the weather is not sunny, the leaves are air-dried, under a roof if necessary, bringing in yet another variable, but this method, though significantly inferior to sun drying is still superior to oven drying. The tea at this stage is referred to as Mao Cha and provides the raw material for pressing into cakes of various forms, or for making into cooked Puer tea. Mao Cha can also be stored as loose leaf tea and aged. The fermentation process is faster with loose leaf than with cake tea. Green Puer at this stage is ready for drinking, often having distinctive flavours in the young tea that mellow with age.
The pressing process is also important. For this, the tea is first weighed, steamed then placed in a cloth bag.It is the fashioned into a round, discus form and placed on a wooden board (or in a container) for pressing. Traditionally, a heavy stone is used to compress the tea - normally with someone standing on the stone to aid compression. Hand - or in reality, foot pressed - tea cakes are less compact than machine pressed, so the amount of moisture remaining in the cake is greater. Air can also more readily penetrate the 'hand-pressed' cake so this, coupled with the moisture content, affects the way the tea ferments, producing a different flavour. Modern Puer tea bricks are all machine pressed, so even if the same tea leaves are used to make a brick and a cake, after some years, the brick will still appear greener, younger than the cake.
The most prized tea leaves are single tips ( dan ya- which means single tooth), followed by single tip and leaf (yi ya yi ye - one tip, one leaf) and then single tip, two leaves (yi ya liang ye) and so on. It is rare to get one tip, three leaves, or more. Some of the best tea however is made by ordinary people who for generations have been picking tea, but who do not single out say, dan ya, when they are picking or sorting leaves. The result is that a lot of high quality Puer will be a mix of the three above formations.
Once the tea leaves have been picked they are spread out to wilt, normally for an hour or two after which they are lightly 'fried' in a large wok. This is done using a wood fire, that is controlled so that the temperature of the the wok does not reach much above 70 degrees centigrade. The tea leaves are turned continuously in the wok during this process and may reach 40C or so. Besides needing to control the temperature, if the leaves are not lifted and turned enough, or too many are put in the wok at one time, it can result in a poor quality tea. It is a matter of fine judgement to decide when the leaves have been fried enough; this will depend on the particular leaves, the weather, the heat of the wok, etc. This process is referred to as 'killing green' (sha qing). A cylindrical oven equipped with a revolving drum and a fan to blow hot air through is sometimes used, but this method is inferior to hand frying.
The leaves are then rolled by hand before being laid out in the sun. It takes some skill to do this well as it is during this part of the process that the cell walls of the leaves are ruptured, which allows fermentation to begin, but it's important that the rolling is not too heavy-handed. The tea leaves are left to rest before being rolled a second time and then laid out on drying platforms to dry. Machine rolling is also quite common and many tea farmers have one, but again, the results are less desirable than well hand-rolled tea.
If the weather is not sunny, the leaves are air-dried, under a roof if necessary, bringing in yet another variable, but this method, though significantly inferior to sun drying is still superior to oven drying. The tea at this stage is referred to as Mao Cha and provides the raw material for pressing into cakes of various forms, or for making into cooked Puer tea. Mao Cha can also be stored as loose leaf tea and aged. The fermentation process is faster with loose leaf than with cake tea. Green Puer at this stage is ready for drinking, often having distinctive flavours in the young tea that mellow with age.
The pressing process is also important. For this, the tea is first weighed, steamed then placed in a cloth bag.It is the fashioned into a round, discus form and placed on a wooden board (or in a container) for pressing. Traditionally, a heavy stone is used to compress the tea - normally with someone standing on the stone to aid compression. Hand - or in reality, foot pressed - tea cakes are less compact than machine pressed, so the amount of moisture remaining in the cake is greater. Air can also more readily penetrate the 'hand-pressed' cake so this, coupled with the moisture content, affects the way the tea ferments, producing a different flavour. Modern Puer tea bricks are all machine pressed, so even if the same tea leaves are used to make a brick and a cake, after some years, the brick will still appear greener, younger than the cake.
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Copyright 2008 Zhi Zheng Tea
