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Pu’erh Tea – Much more than just a Beverage

by Dr. Saziye Ilgaz (January 2025)

Pu-erh tea is a unique fermented tea produced from the large-leaf variety of the Camellia sinensis tea plant. Claimed to have a history of more than 1,400 years, pu'erh tea is known in China as Heicha or dark tea. It had began to be traded during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) and its popularity increased rapidly in the 14th century. Pu-erh tea takes its name from a town called Pu-erh in central Yunnan. During the 14th century Ming Dynasty, this town was the trading center for all teas from nearby tea-producing regions. At that time, in order to transport the teas easily, all kinds of loose teas brought to the Pu'erh Town were compressed into cakes or bricks and in this form were transported from the Pu'erh Town by horse caravans to different parts of China and Asia. Later, all the teas traded in this town became known as pu’erh tea.

Different formats for Pu-erh. Inside a mandarine and compressed into cakes

Unlike green tea, oolong tea, white or black tea, dark tea is a microbial fermented tea and its production is only limited to the areas of China and Japan. Pu’erh production itself is limited to Yunnan Province. Microbial fermentation is the most significant biochemical reaction that brings about striking changes in the biochemical composition and aroma of pu'erh tea. The modern processing technology of pu'erh tea and the varieties of pu'erh tea are very little known outside of China.

Read here the full Dr. Saziye Ilgaz’s Tea Review.

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