Pu'er tea
Latin name Camellia sinensis var.assamica (Mast.) Kitamura
Chinese name Pu'er tea (wild tea tree)
Latin family name Theaceae
Chinese family name Theaceae
Protection level 2
Introduction:
Pu'er tea is a product of Yunnan Province that has been formed throughout history Unique local famous tea. It is made from sun-dried green tea of ??large-leaf species originating in Yunnan and its reprocessing into two series: Shengpu which is directly reprocessed into finished products and Ripe Pu which is processed after artificial rapid fermentation. The tea is dispersed in shape. There are two types of tea: tea and pressed tea. After the finished product is finished, the natural aging process continues, and it has the unique quality of becoming more fragrant with age.
Distribution
Mainly produced in Yunnan Menghai, Mengla, Simao, Gengma, Cangyuan, Shuangjiang, Lincang, Yuanjiang, Jingdong, Dali, Pingbian, Hekou, Ma Guan, Malipo, Wenshan, Xichou, Guangnan, Xishuangbanna, Panxian and Rongjiang in Guizhou, Fusui and Zhaoping in Guangxi, Nanjing in Fujian, Ruyuan, Lianshan, Maoming in Guangdong and Changjiang and Qiongzhong in Hainan , Ledong, Baoting, Lingshui and other places. Born in tropical and tropical mountain forests at an altitude of 1,200-1,400 meters. It is also distributed in northern Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and India.
Current situation
Rare species. Wild tea trees (including cultivated wild tea trees), also known as Pu'er tea, are distributed in southern Yunnan and Hainan. Among them, there is the "King of Tea Trees" in Yunnan, which is more than 800 years old and is currently the largest plant. Although local measures have been taken to protect it, the plant is still subject to human interference. If management and protection are not strengthened, there is a risk of being destroyed and killed. With the increase in population in Hainan, natural forests have shrunk sharply. At the same time, many people go to the mountains to pick wild tea leaves around the Qingming Festival every year, and the number of wild tea trees is also decreasing.
Lower altitude limit (meters) 1200
Upper altitude limit (meters) 1400
Morphological characteristics
Evergreen trees or shrubs, 5 height 13 (-20) meters, the trunk diameter can reach more than 1 meter; young branches and leaves are finely pubescent. Leaves are leathery, oval or obovate-oblong, 4 to 8 (-12) cm long, 1.8 to 4.5 cm wide, apex obtuse, sometimes acute, base wedge-shaped, edges serrated, smooth and hairless on both sides; petiole long 3 to 7 mm. Flowers solitary or 2-4 in axillary cymes, white, 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter, fragrant, pedicel 6-10 mm long, downward curved; sepals 5 (-6), round, persistent during fruiting; petals 7-8 (-9), broadly obovate or round; stamens numerous, outer whorls of filaments united to form short tubes; ovary 3-chambered, outer coated with hair, style with 3 lobes at top. The capsule is spherical or oblate, about 25 cm in diameter, with a leathery texture; 1 or 2 seeds, nearly spherical, slightly angular, about 1.5 to 1.8 cm in diameter, light brown.
Characteristics
The Yunnan distribution area mostly belongs to the south subtropical mountain monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest. The main producing area, Nannuo Mountain in Menghai, has an annual average temperature of 17-19°C, an extreme maximum temperature of 22.3°C, and an extreme minimum temperature of -5.4°C (occurring in January); the annual rainfall is 1300-1400 mm. The soil is mostly red soil or yellow red soil. It likes hillsides and valleys, a small environment filled with clouds and mist in the dry season, humid air, deep soil, good drainage and rich in humus. The flowering period is from September to November, and the fruiting period is from April to June. Sometimes flowers and fruits coexist. Wild tea tree fruits are often harvested, natural reproduction is poor, and understory seedlings are rare. The main accompanying tree species include Schima wallichii Choisy, Lithocarpus truncatus Rehd. et Wils., Phoebe puwenensis Cheng, etc.
Conservation value
Wild tea trees are native to southern my country, especially in southern Yunnan. It is one of the ancient plants of the Cenozoic Era and is of great significance to the study of the origin and evolution of tea trees.
Yunnan's Pu'er tea has been a famous beverage since ancient times. Protection measures for tea trees should be strengthened, and leaf and fruit harvesting is strictly prohibited. It is recommended that the Nannuo Mountain in Menghai, Yunnan, where the distribution is concentrated, should be designated as a wild tea tree protection site to maintain the necessary ecological environment and create natural breeding conditions. There is still a wild tea Camellia taheishangensis F.S. Zhang in the Daheishan Mountains in Yunnan. Its origin and habitat are the same as the wild tea trees and should also be protected.
Cultivation Points
Propagate by seeds. Seeds have a short lifespan and should be sown immediately after harvesting. The cultivation method is the same as that of tea trees.
Types of Pu'er tea: Pu'er tea is a post-fermented tea, that is, post-oxidation will continue after the tea leaves are made, and the tea will become milder, less irritating, and will last longer after storage. The longer the time, the more complete the degree of oxidation, and the more mellow the taste of the tea soup, which is why it is said that the older Pu'er tea becomes more fragrant. Pu'er tea can be divided into trees and shrubs according to tree species. According to different production methods, it can be divided into raw tea and cooked tea. According to different storage methods, it can be divided into dry warehouse Pu'er tea and wet warehouse Pu'er tea.
Classification of Pu'er tea
(1) Classification by tree species
Tree: The leaves of trees are mainly harvested as tea leaves, and the leaves are larger.
Shrubs: The leaves of shrubs are mainly harvested as tea leaves, which are the dwarf tea tree species we usually see with smaller leaves.
(2) Classification according to the production method
Raw tea: fermented in a natural way after picking, the tea is more irritating. After being stored for many years, the tea will become milder. Good old Pu'er is usually This is how it is made.
Mature tea: Scientific and artificial fermentation methods are used to make the tea mild, making the tea soft and delicious. Taking the period after 1973 as the dividing point.
(3) Classification based on storage method
Dry warehouse Pu'er: refers to storage in a ventilated, dry and clean warehouse to allow the tea to ferment naturally and age for 10 to 20 years.
Wet warehouse Pu'er: usually placed in humid places, such as basements and cellars, to speed up its fermentation. Because tea contains more damaged contents and often has a muddy or musty smell. Although wet warehouse Pu'er ages faster than dry warehouse Pu'er, it is prone to mildew and is harmful to human health. Therefore, we do not recommend selling and drinking wet warehouse Pu'er. Pu'er.
(4) Classification by appearance
1. Cake and tea: flat disc shape, of which each piece of Qizi cake has a net weight of 357 grams, and every seven pieces is a tube, and each tube weighs 2500 grams, hence the name Qizi Cake.
2. Tuocha: The shape is about the same size as a rice bowl, with a net weight of 100 grams or 250 grams each. Now there are mini small Tuocha teas with a net weight of 2-5 grams each.
3. Brick tea: rectangular or square, mostly 250g-1000g. This shape is mainly made to facilitate transportation.
4. Pumpkin tribute tea: pressed into half-melon shapes of varying sizes, ranging from 100 grams to hundreds of kilograms. < /p>
6. Loose tea: Pu'er tea that has not been compacted during the tea making process and has loose strips of tea leaves is called loose tea. It is divided into thick and fat leaf tea with ropes made of whole tea leaves. , there are also thin strips of bud tip tea made from the bud tip part.
Processing of Pu'er tea
Pu'er tea is processed from the fresh leaves of Yunnan large-leaf tea trees. There are two production processes: traditional and modern.
1. Traditional Pu'er tea production process: greening (raw and sun-dried, pan-fried), kneading into strips (hand-made balls), and sun-drying
2. Modern Pu'er tea production process (artificial aging) : Finishing (frying, roller) kneading (machine processing) drying (drying) humidification (sprinkling, tea fungus) drying
How to buy Pu'er tea
Pu'er tea The main place of production is Yunnan Province. In the past 10 years, it has only become popular in various places. Since the health department has studied that Pu'er tea has the functions of lowering blood lipids, slimming, and anti-cancer. In particular, the longer Pu'er tea is stored, the more effective it is, so the price changes. Quite drastic.
Distinguish between new and old Pu'er tea
Since Pu'er tea can be continuously fermented, it becomes more fragrant as it ages, and of course it is more expensive.
New Pu'er tea refers to Pu'er tea that has just been made. It has a greener appearance with pekoe and a strong taste. Old Pu'er tea refers to Pu'er tea that has been aged for a long time. After a long period of post-oxidation, the appearance of the tea leaves becomes The color is jujube red, and the pekoe also turns to yellowish brown.
Smell the aroma of tea leaves
Pu'er tea that is not well preserved usually produces a musty smell. In order to cover up the smell, some merchants will add floral aromas such as chrysanthemums. Therefore, if you see chrysanthemums in Pu'er tea, or if it smells floral, it means the tea is not of pure quality.
Identify the color of the tea soup
Ask the clerk or boss to try it and observe the color of the tea soup. Due to the continuous fermentation of aged Pu'er tea for many years, the color of the tea soup is darker, but it is by no means as black as paint; while the color of the tea soup of new Pu'er tea is lighter. However, this can only be used as a reference, because even newly made tea will be very dark, and the best way is to try it.
Testing
Testing is the most important part of buying tea, because you can fully know whether a cup of tea is good or not and whether it suits your taste. A good cup of Pu'er can be fully known from a trial. The tea will not smell musty or bitter. Newly made Pu'er contains pekoe and has not been aged, so it will have a bitter and astringent taste. After aging and turning the pekoe into golden needles, Pu'er tea is mild and non-irritating, so it tastes sweeter.
Will Pu'er tea go bad?
If Pu'er tea is stored properly, it will become more fragrant as it ages. However, when purchasing, you will find that the shelf life is marked on the outer packaging of Pu'er tea. This is because it is stipulated that food must be labeled. In fact, consumers do not need to pay attention when drinking Pu'er tea. In addition, if you find that the tea leaves have a musty smell, it is usually caused by improper storage and should not be purchased.
The new Pu'er tea has a strong taste and strong irritation, which is not suitable for people who are used to drinking high mountain tea or Pu'er tea. Because old Pu'er tea has been aged for a long time, after a long period of post-oxidation, the nature of the tea becomes milder and non-irritating. It can promote blood metabolism and does not irritate the stomach. It is said that it can also maintain health, help Qi, and replenish Qi, and it is stored well. The longer the time, the higher the degree of oxidation and the mellower the tea soup tastes.
Understand the age of Pu'er tea: The price, grade, and age of the tea are important factors. The price of a Pu'er tea brick can range from 100 yuan to 1,000 yuan, mainly because Pu'er tea has a saying that the older it gets, the more fragrant it becomes. , so businesses are looking for treasures and tributes that are 20, 30, or even 50 or 60 years old, and the prices are sky-high. In fact, there is no effective way to identify the age of Pu'er tea, and if it is not stored properly It will also affect the quality of tea. The only way is to drink more and compare more. Nonetheless, here is a simple way to identify the age of Pu'er tea for reference.
How to identify the age of Pu'er tea and look at the appearance of the tea leaves: the appearance of new Pu'er tea is fresher, with pekoe, and has a strong taste; after a long period of post-oxidation, the appearance of the tea leaves will appear jujube. Red, pekoe also turns to yellowish brown.
Distinguish the color of the wrapping paper: Usually the white paper wrapped in pressed aged Pu'er tea has become stale over time, so the paper is slightly yellow, so you can choose from the handmade texture and printing of the paper. We start with the degree of aging of the color. This can only be used as a reference, not an absolute basis, because some unscrupulous businessmen may take advantage of this mentality and use old wrapping paper to package inferior products.
Understand the age of tea: Generally speaking, the age of Pu'er tea is usually divided as follows: Pu'er tea produced in this period before 1949 is called antique tea, such as the century-old Songpinhao and the century-old Tongxing tribute. , Centenary Tongqing Hao, Tongchang Old Hao, Song Pinjing Hao. Usually, a piece of paper made of glutinous rice and printed with the above name is placed inside the tea cake, which is called Nei Fei.
From 1949 to 1967, the production seal grade of China's tea industry was changed from each tea product, that is, the word "tea" on the packaging paper was marked in different colors with red seal as the first batch and green seal as the second batch. , the yellow seal is the third batch.
After 1968, the tea cakes produced at this time were no longer printed on the packaging with the China Tea Company name. Instead, they were produced by each tea factory at their own choice. They were collectively called Yunnan Qizi cakes, including: Snow Print Green Cake 73 Green Cake, Dakou Green Cake Small and medium green seal, small yellow seal, etc.
How to brew Pu'er tea
Many people think that Pu'er tea tastes musty. In fact, good Pu'er tea should have a rich and mellow taste and should not have a musty smell. Tea in Yunnan places great emphasis on aroma, but Pu'er tea is a tea whose aroma is driven by taste. It seems to have no taste when you first drink it, but when the tea soup is swallowed, a sweet taste gradually emerges on the base of the tongue, because the aroma hides In terms of taste, it feels heavier.
Pu'er tea is a type of Chinese tea, so when brewing, you can basically refer to the brewing method of oolong tea, but it is still different from ordinary tea in small details.
Choice of teapot
To make Pu'er tea, you need to choose a teapot with a large belly. Because Pu'er tea has a high concentration, brewing with a teapot with a large belly can avoid making the tea too strong. question, the best material is clay pot or purple clay pot.
Tea leaf processing
When brewing, the tea leaves account for about 1/5 of the pot. If it is Pu'er brick tea, it needs to be opened and left for about 2 weeks before brewing for a better taste. Pu'er tea can be re-brewed for more than 10 times. Because Pu'er tea has the characteristics of being resistant to brewing, the Pu'er tea after brewing for 10 times can be used for final use by making tea.
Water temperature for brewing tea
Since the tea flavor of Pu'er tea is difficult to soak out, it must be brewed with boiling water. For the first brew, pour boiling water in and then pour it out (wet brew), and use the tea to scald the cup.
How to make tea
(1) Pour in boiling water for the second time, soak for 15 seconds and then pour out the tea soup to taste. Of course, it does not have to be based on everyone's taste.
(2) The second and third brews of tea can be mixed and drank together to take into account the nature of the tea to avoid being too strong.
(3) After the fourth time, 15 seconds will be added for each additional bubble, and so on.
Advantages of Pu'er tea
1. Pu'er tea is mild in nature and does not harm the stomach. Modern people's tense and stressful lifestyle, common stomach problems, deficiency of qi and blood, and abnormal eating habits make light fermented tea "unbearably light" for tea lovers.
2. Pu'er tea is a health drink with scientific basis. Modern people often "trade their lives for money". Once the anti-cancer and health-care functions of Pu'er tea were confirmed by the medical community, the concept of "saving a long life with a small amount of money" not only strengthened the belief of tea lovers, but also attracted many people. New tea lover. In addition, Pu'er tea's pharmacological properties of removing fat, digesting, and losing weight have become popular among countless people who love beauty and body shaping, as well as middle-aged people who have gained weight.
3. Pu'er tea is easy to brew, resistant to steeping, and easy to operate. Properly aged Pu'er tea is neither bitter nor astringent, and can be swallowed even if soaked for a long time. It does not require the hassle of splitting notes like high mountain tea, but it still has the fun of making tea, and even does not lose the convenience of tea bags.
4. Pu'er tea is easy to preserve, and the nature of the tea changes greatly. From a certain definition, Pu'er tea is a "living organism", and its main feature lies in the "post-fermentation" (or post-ripening, aging) that continues after the tea body is completed. As time goes by, its flavor transformation becomes more stable and restrained. Teas with different aging periods have different flavors. This is also tea tasting. The tea collector is involved in the "production and completion of tea" to some extent. In fact, The final completion of a cake of Pu'er tea may take dozens or nearly a hundred years, because from the time the tea leaves leave the tree until the hot water is poured into the pot, it is in a "modern process" and is in the process of transformation all the time.
5. Pu’er tea is a “drinkable antique”. There are few beverages or foods that have the dual characteristics of "drinkable and storeable" like Pu'er tea. "Everyone can drink it, and the older it is, the higher the price." New Pu'er tea is a daily drink available to everyone, and old Pu'er tea is a daily drink available to everyone. However, tea is "valuable and valuable", which is out of reach. If the left end of the "Pu'er Balance" is "collection value", it is a "durable wealth" that only rises but never falls; and the right end is "drinking value", which is Drink one piece less "consumer wealth", then "time" is the "weight" that wanders between the two. As the weight of time moves to the left, the collection value of this cake and tea becomes higher, and vice versa. In recent years, Pu'er tea has a collectibility similar to that of red wine. Both of them pay attention to the year, origin (winehouse, tea house), rarity and preservation status.
Pu'er tea is divided into raw and cooked teas, each with its own shortcomings and lengths
The production process of Pu'er tea is generally as follows: after the freshly picked tea leaves are dried, twisted and dried, they become Maoqing (Dianqing). ), the tea flavor at this time is strong and overbearing, and most people are not used to it. With the different processing of Maoqing tea, Pu'er tea has since been divided into two major series: raw tea and cooked tea (there are also semi-raw teas that are blended with each other). Generally, raw tea is classified as "green tea" and cooked tea is classified as "black tea". Tea".
[raw tea]
It means that the raw tea is completely transformed naturally without going through "wodui". This is the traditional production method in history.
The process of natural ripening of raw tea is very slow. Depending on the storage environment conditions, it will take at least nearly ten years. The longer the time, the more complete the enzymatic and non-enzymatic oxidation of the polyphenolic compounds in the tea will be, and the more mature and robust its aroma will be. , but the charm is lively and lively. This vitality is what tea people praise as "tea flavor".
[Ripe Tea]
It means that the raw tea has been fermented artificially through wet ripening through the process of "wood stacking", which promotes the non-enzymatic auto-oxidation of polyphenolic compounds. , transform the substances contained in tea leaves, reduce the bitterness, mellow the taste, eliminate the green odor, shorten the aging stage, and can be drunk earlier. This is the technology that Kunming Tea Factory first developed by learning from the dark tea process in 1973. The Yunnan Provincial Institute of Microbiology's related research on "Wodui" won the third prize of the Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award in 1985. What this means is that some people have misunderstood "Wodui" and equated "Wodui" with "wet warehouse". The fact is that the two are completely different. "Wet warehouse" refers to speculation. The author places relatively new Pu'er tea products in an environment with high humidity, and uses high humidity (or splashing water) to cause the tea to become moldy, thereby changing the body of the tea and making it look like aged tea. This unhealthy practice Wet warehouse tea cannot withstand the test of tasting under high temperature brewing.
The health care and pharmacology of Pu'er tea
Pu'er tea has long been recognized for its excellent tea quality, quenching thirst and refreshing people, and also has special medicinal effects. Ancient records of pharmacological functions have long been recorded. Zhao Xuemin of the Qing Dynasty's "Compendium of Materia Medica" says: "Pu'er tea is warm in nature and fragrant,... bitter in taste, and can detoxify greasy cattle and sheep. It is contraindicated in people with weak conditions. The bitterness drives away phlegm and can be used to clear the intestines." Pu'er tea paste is as black as paint and is the best for sobering up, and the green one is even better. It is particularly effective at digesting food and reducing phlegm, clearing the stomach and promoting fluid production." With the changes in the modern living environment, carcinogens are everywhere, and modern people can be said to be in the shadow of cancer. In fact, as early as more than ten years ago, the anti-cancer effect of Pu'er tea has been proven by the oncology of Yunnan Kunming Medical College. The institute confirmed it and received world-wide recognition at the 1991 Asia-Pacific International Oncology Conference.
How to Preserve Pu'er Tea
As early as the 19th century, tea people had studied the quality improvement and preservation of Pu'er tea. It was recorded in "Pu'er Tea Records": " The smell varies with the nature of the soil, and those grown in red soil mixed with rocks are the best." "In a home where tea is grown, it must be prepared with hoe and grass, and the tea will taste bad and difficult to sell." This shows that the requirements for tea quality have to be paid attention to as early as the cultivation period. At the same time, in order to maintain the quality of Pu'er tea, the ancients also had a warning that "if it is mixed with other things, it will be mixed with other flavors and it will not be drinkable." In fact, the storage conditions of Pu'er tea are the most relaxed among all tea products.
Generally speaking, as long as it is not exposed to direct sunlight, is cool and ventilated, and is away from other strong-smelling items or environmental pollution, such as soap, mosquito coils, moth balls, shrines, kitchens, bathrooms, etc., if the Pu'er tea is aged If the quantity is large, you might as well set aside a small room, put in a dehumidifier and hygrometer, and turn the pile regularly. At present, the "pottery jar stacking method" is widely used by tea drinkers. Take a pottery vat, mix old tea and new tea and place it in the vat. It is best to remove the packaged ones to allow them to age. The mouth of the vat is Just cover it with wooden boards and cotton cloth to keep it ventilated, dust-proof, and foreign matter-free. The concept of the pottery jar stacking method is to simulate a miniature tea warehouse. Arrange an environment suitable for the growth of tea fungi, so that the tea fungi of the old tea can successfully reproduce on the new tea, and the tea aroma of the new tea can stimulate the old tea, achieving the effect of combining the old and the new, and complementing the yin and yang.
For the tea cakes that are about to be consumed, old tea drinkers also have a "tea blending method": dismantle the whole tea cake into loose tea and put it into a half-pound or one-pound clay pot ( Do not choose airtight metal cans), let it sit for half a month before you can use it. This is because generally tea cakes tend to be loose on the outside and tight in the center. In addition, the packaging method of seven cakes means that over a long period of time, the inside and outside of tea cakes will be oxidized and ripened to different degrees. The outside will be watery and the center will be strong. After the above-mentioned "tea atmosphere blending method", you can make the inside and outside complement each other and enjoy higher quality tea soup.
Pu'er is the hometown of the famous "Pu'er tea" at home and abroad. "Pu'er tea" has been named after Pu'er Prefecture since ancient times. Pu'er is the origin and distribution center of "Pu'er tea". As early as the Tang Dynasty, "Pu'er tea" was sold as far as the mainland and Tibet. In the Song Dynasty, a tea-horse market of "exchanging tea for horses" was formed. In the Ming Dynasty, "all the people owned by scholars and common people were Pu'er tea." By the Qing Dynasty, "Pu'er tea" had reached its peak, with sales exceeding 100,000 dans sold overseas. The court introduced "Pu'er tea" as tribute tea as a tribute treasure, and established an official tea bureau in Pu'er Mansion.
The writer Cao Xueqin wrote "Pu'er tea" into "A Dream of Red Mansions", and the Russian writer Tolstoy also described the scene of drinking "Pu'er tea" in his masterpiece "War and Peace".
The "Ancient Tea Horse Road" in the history of Sipu District emerged with the production, transportation and sales of tea. According to Guangxu's "Pu'er Mansion Chronicles", Pu'er tea has been sold in Tibet as early as the Tang Dynasty.
In 1983, during the cultural relics survey in Simao area, the ancient Tea Horse Post Road built from the 17th year of Jiaqing to the 3rd year of Daoguang was discovered. At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, in order to facilitate the tribute of "Pu'er tea" to the capital, an "official road" was built from Pu'er to the provincial capital Kunming, and some irregular square and long stone strips were laid. This road became a popular road for business travelers. It is an important transportation route for mules and horses to transport tea and salt. In today's Pu'er County, there are still three relatively complete "Tea-Horse Ancient Road" ruins: one is the "Tea-Horse Ancient Road" located in Nakeli Village, Tongxin Township; the other is the "Tea-Horse Ancient Road ruins" located in Minzhu Village, Fengyang Township. "The ancient rock path, about 2 kilometers long, winds up the mountain in a semi-primitive forest. The deep imprint of the horse's cry on the mountain stone tells people about the hardships of "exchanging tea for horses" in the past; along the ancient road, people can experience and pursue the meaning of "the path is flat and the horse returns with sorrow, but the peak is as dangerous as coming". artistic conception. The third is the "Kongquepingdi Ancient Road Site" located in Kongqueping, Mohei Town, which is about 10 kilometers long. There were many "horse shops" in the past, and the horse hoof prints are clearly visible on the ancient mountain stone road. "The bells ring in the mountains and the caravans come", the smooth moss on the stone slabs of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, and the numerous pits trampled by horses over the years, seem to be telling people the history of yesterday. The tea tradition still exists and the fragrance of the ancient roads reminds people of the grand occasion of "Hundred Horse Caravans Competition".
There are many ancient tea tree communities distributed in Pu'er, including the Mengxian Xiaogaochang large tea tree community, the Mengxian Tea Mountain Qing large tea tree community, and the Baicaochang ten thousand mu tea tree community, etc.
The "Pu'er tea" that is fragrant all over the world has created a long-standing "Pu'er tea culture". In the long and long history, Pu'er tea culture has been continuously enriched with the birth and development of Pu'er tea, becoming a bridge connecting the nation, economy, culture, history, scientific research, foreign trade, agriculture, horticulture and other aspects. Treating guests with tea, meeting friends with tea, offering sacrifices with tea, marrying with tea, making gifts with tea, and using tea as an art have become a symbol of Pu'er's social and cultural progress and national unity.
Overview of the "Six Tea Mountains"
"Dianhai Yuhengzhi" written by Tan Cui, a Jinshi during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, states, "Pu Cha is famous all over the world. It comes from the six tea mountains of Pu'er and is called Youle." , the second is Gedeng, the third is Yibang, the fourth is Mangzhi, the fifth is Manzhuan, the sixth is Mansa, eight hundred miles around. "This "eight hundred miles around" not only refers to the area of ??the tea mountain, but also indicates the "six hundred miles". "Big Tea Mountain" is connected into one piece. To the west is the Youle Tea Mountain, in the middle are the Geden, Mangzhi, Yibang, and Manzhuan Tea Mountains, and to the east is the Mansa Tea Mountain. In the fourth year of Longqing's reign in the Ming Dynasty (AD 1570), when Che Xuanwei envoy Daoyingmeng divided his jurisdiction into 12 Bannas, the "Six Tea Mountains" were divided into one Banna - "Chashan Banna". This is necessary to adapt to the production of tea, especially tribute tea. According to the "Pu'er Prefecture Zhi Zhi Zhi" chapter, except for Mansa Tea Mountain, which is under the jurisdiction of Yiwu Tusi, the other five mountains are under the jurisdiction of Yibang Tusi. There are historical records saying that "Yiwu Tea Mountain" is actually Mansa Tea Mountain. "Yu Heng Zhi of the Dianhai Sea" of the Qing Dynasty records that the place names of the six ancient tea mountains are correct.
As for the geographical location of the ancient "six major tea mountains", historical records There are various opinions on it: some say it is east of the Lancang River, some say it is west of the Lancang River, and some say there are six major tea mountains on both sides of the Lancang River. The "Si Mao Hall Boundary Map" drawn during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty shows that the ancient "Six Tea Mountains". The "Big Tea Mountains" are indeed located along the Lancang River. Youle Tea Mountain now belongs to Jinghong City, and the other five major tea mountains are all in Mengla County. Among them, Mansa is in Yiwu Township, Geden, Mangzhi, Manzhuan, and Yibang are in Xiangming Township . It is said that Xiangming is named after Kongming Mountain and Yexiang Mountain. The ancient "Six Tea Mountains" are also one of the oldest tea areas in China.
The naming of the ancient "Six Tea Mountains" is said to be related to Zhuge Liang. During the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280), Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of the Shu Han Dynasty, visited the six major tea mountains and left many relics as commemorations. It got its name. It is recorded in "Pu'er Fuzhi Monuments" compiled during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty: "All the relics of Liucha Mountain are in the south of the city. It is said that Marquis Wu traveled through the six mountains and left bronze gongs in Youle and bronze tassels in Mang. Branches, buried iron bricks in barbaric bricks, left wooden bangs in Yibang, buried horse pedals in leather pedals, and placed scattering bags in Manchu. Because the mountain is named Manzhi and Ledeng, the Tea King tree is larger than other mountains. According to legend, it is the legacy of Wuhou, and the Yi people still worship it today."
Kongming Mountain among the ancient tea mountains is majestic and majestic. It is the place where Zhuge Liang sent his arrows (folk legend has it that the place where he shot arrows is Wuyingshu Mountain in the southeast of Pu'er City), and there is the old site of the Wind Sacrifice Platform on it.
Tea trees were planted in the ancient "Six Tea Mountains" before the Three Kingdoms. After the Three Kingdoms, tea was traded with other places as a commodity. It gradually developed during the Jin Dynasty. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, tea commodity bases were formed. During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, it was designated as a a separate administrative region. The tea mountain was at its peak in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, and its products were exported to Sichuan, Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Nanyang. Pu'er tea has since become famous at home and abroad. The ancient "Six Tea Mountains" were not only the main source of income for the people of all ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna in the past, but also attracted hundreds of thousands of compatriots from the mainland to develop them, which played a huge role in prospering the border economy and strengthening the unity and exchanges of all ethnic groups.
Famous Pu'er Tea
The ancient "Six Tea Mountains" located in Xishuangbanna today were prosperous and prosperous in the past. Tea businessmen opened tea-making businesses and tea houses throughout the tea mountains. The traditional Pu'er tea making craftsmanship created has reached its peak, and the Pu'er tea and its brand have remained famous throughout the ages. Due to its superior quality, it was so popular that it even received a flat award from the Qing Dynasty palace. Pumpkin Tribute Tea Pu'er Pumpkin Tribute Tea is the best among the existing aged Pu'er teas. The tea circles in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan call him the "Pu'er Tea Emperor". The tea production began in the seventh year of Qingzheng (1729). The best daughter tea in Xishuangbanna was selected to make group tea, loose tea and tea paste as tribute to the imperial court. Pumpkin Tribute Tea or Pumpkin Head Tribute Tea are first-class bud teas that are said to be picked by unmarried girls. The picked bud tea is usually placed in the girl's arms first, and when it accumulates to a certain amount, it is taken out and placed in a bamboo basket. This kind of bud tea will turn golden yellow after long-term storage, so Ren Tou Gong tea is also called Jin Gua Gong tea or Jin Gua Ren Tou Gong tea. It has a production history of more than 200 years. The processor of this product is Pu'er Gong Tea Factory. The raw materials and initial production come from Yibang Tea Mountain in Xishuangbanna.
Fuyuanchang Round Tea The two tea mountains of Yibang and Yiwu once performed the most glorious chapter of Pu'er tea in the Qing Dynasty. The two tea houses, "Song Yun Hao" and "Yanchang Hao", were founded in the early years of Guangxu's reign, both located in the two tea mountains of Yibang and Yiwu. Among them, the tea factory of "Yuan Chang Hao" located in Yiwu is called "Fu Yuanchang Hao", which is specially refined from the large leaf tea of ??Yiwu Mountain, which is different from the small leaf tea of ??Yibang. The oldest "Fuyuanchang round tea" was produced during the Guangxu period and has lasted for more than 100 years. "Pu'er Tea Records" says: "A century-old Fu Yuanchang round tea enjoys the reputation of 'Pu'er tea king'.
Tongqing Laoyuan Tea was produced in the middle and late Qing Dynasty. Yibang Tea Mountain declined, and Yiwu Tea With the rise of the area, many tea merchants gathered in Yunnan at that time. They set up factories to make tea, introduced advanced tea-making technology, and made tea from the delicate white tips of large-leaf tea species, making Yiwu a leader in both tea production and tea quality. Tongqinghao Tea House, which ranked first among the six major tea mountains in Xishuangbanna in ancient times, set up a tea factory in Yiwu in 1736, and the history of tea making in Yiwu spans more than a hundred years.
Tongqing Tea House. Haoyuan tea is divided into two types: Neipiao and Neifei. Before 1920, it was the "Longma trademark", and later it was the "Double Lion Flag Picture". Both of them used the best bamboo before 1920. The surface of the Ruo bag is light golden yellow, and the bamboo strips and bamboo skin used for binding are similar in color to the bamboo Ruo bag. Tongqinghao Laoyuan Tea is characterized by its elegance and restraint, which is unmatched among others. It is a very soft and beautiful tea. , regarded as a national masterpiece, enjoys the reputation of "the queen of Pu'er tea"
During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, individual tea merchants were involved in the Pu'er tea export business. Jingchanghao (later changed to Xinchanghao) teahouse, which is comparable to other teahouses, takes the best and high-quality tea leaves from Mansa and mainly makes "Qizi cake tea", which is then transported to Laos by oxen or horseback, and then packaged. Shipped to Vietnam, Dai, Hong Kong and other places for sale. The reason why Jingchang Round Tea is extremely valuable is that in addition to its excellent quality, its production process and packaging are also fascinating. , the pressing technology is first-rate, the cake body is plump and full of charm, the edge of the cake is not atomically thin, but has a strong sense of rhythm, which is comfortable to touch and beautiful to the eye. Its shape is convex and concave, and the leaves are clearly arranged. There is no Pu'er tea in the world that can compete with the beauty of its form. Most of the extant ones are products from the 1940s. Each cake is 20.5 cm in diameter and weighs 330 grams. It is of the wild camphor type and is extremely soft and watery. It melts in the mouth and is the smoothest among Pu'er teas.
In the early Qing Dynasty and the long years before, it was Yibang Tea Mountain that played an important role in the history of tea culture. , famous for growing small leaf tea.
Yangpinhao Tea House was built in the early years of the Republic of China. It uses Yibang small-leaf tea as raw material. The "Yangpin Round Tea" produced by it is rarely available. The cake body is small, about 19 centimeters in diameter, and each cake weighs about 280 grams. , each cake has a 5 "Yangpinhao" and other words. According to expert research and evaluation, the oldest existing "Yangpin Round Tea" is about 60 years old. Its tea soup is fragrant, thin and slightly sour. It is a typical Yibang small-leaf Pu'er tea
Tongxinyuan Tea Concentric circle tea can be divided into "early stage" and "late stage". It is made by Tongxinhao Tea House, which was founded in 1733. It was originally called Shunxianghao, also known as Zhongxinxing, and the factory was set up in Yiwu Town. The tea products produced during the Qing Dynasty have now disappeared, and all the existing tea products are round cake tea produced between 1921 and 1949. The Tongxinxing round tea produced between 1921 and 1934 is called "Tongxing Zaoyuan tea". The tea produced between 1935 and 1949 is called "Tongxing late round tea". The Tongxing round tea produced during this period was produced in small quantities, and all of them were top quality.
Whether in the early or late period, the inner text of Tongxing Yuancha has the following text: "This is the unofficial Yiwu Yibang Mountain Songding White Tips Nender Tea" (Mansongding Tea Garden, in the old days, was synonymous with high-quality tea).
Around 1921, Tongxinghao Tea House produced 500 tons of tea and was one of the rich tea families at that time. The factory was set up in Yiwu, using tea leaves from Yibang as raw materials. The existing Tongxing round tea has an aging period of more than 70 years for the early ones and more than 60 years for the later ones. The two have similar tea properties, which is representative of Yibang Pu'er tea, and also shows the extraordinary tea-making skills of Tongxinghao Teahouse.
Tongchang Round Tea Tongchang Tea House was founded in the seventh year of Tongzhi (1869). The tea house changed owners several times and there are three tea names. The earliest Yuanchanghao round teas are no longer available, and those that still exist today are all teas labeled "Master Huang Wenxing" or "Master Tongchang Huangji" after the 1930s. "Tongchang round tea" has the best quality. The cake is thick and dark maroon, with long and flat strips and thick pekoe?/ca>