Pu-erh - teas from Yunnan tea trees - Tea master - Zhang Ma (Yiwu)
The city of Puer was historically the center of the tea trade in Yunnan. To be authentic Puer tea, it must be grown in Yunnan, made from the native Dayezhong large-leaf Assamica or the wild Yeshengcha cultivar, and must be sun-dried. Puer teas made from old trees are often referred to as Lao Cha or Da Cha (over 100 years) and Gu Shu Cha (over 200 years). Such teas are valued and have extensive added value for human body and soul. There are two basic types of Puer tea 普洱茶: Sheng Puer (green or raw - Sheng Cha 生茶) and Shu Puer (black or ripe - Shu Cha 熟茶). Both types begin as a minimally oxidized and almost raw loose green tea-like product known as Maocha 毛茶. Only a small amount of tea remains in the form of maocha, most is pressed into various shapes such as bricks or cakes. Quality Puer tea matures and gains value with age.
2004 Yi Wu Gua Feng Zhai Yi Mo Yang Guang Sheng Pu Er - cake 200 g
Gua Feng Zhai village in Yiwu 易武刮风寨
Yiwu 易武 is one of the Six Tea Mountains (Liu Da Cha Shan 六大茶山), famous for pu-erh tea in Yunnan. It iis located n Mengla County 勐腊县 of Xishuangbanna. It is one of the few Chinese tea places located in tropical zone. There are quite a few villages in Yiwu producing pu-erh tea. Among others they are Ma Hei, Luo Shui Dong, Ding Jia Zhai, Wan Gong, Man Xiu, Tong Qing He and Gua Feng Zhai. People of Yao race are the main residents of the Gua Feng Zhai village. The population is around 750 people. It got famous for its tea with complex strong wild tea flavour, fast transformation of taste and deep sweet aftertaste.
Bai Ying Shan 白莺山 Mountains
Bai Ying Shan 白莺山 is one of the branch mountains of Wu Liang Shan 无量山 in Southwest Yunnan Lincang Region, and near Lan Cang River. Though it is still not as famous as many other tea mountains of Yunnan, Bai Ying Shan is the origin of the Yunnan old big tea trees as study indicates. Here there is the oldest tea tree more than 3000 years old, and the biological character of the tea seed of Bai Ying Shan old tree proves here is the birthplace of the Yunnan Big Leaf Tea. The tea species growing here according to the farmers include Ben Shan Cha 本山茶, Hei Tiao Cha 黑条茶, Er Ga Zi Cha 二嘎子茶，Meng Ku Zhong 勐库种, Bai Ya Cha 白芽茶，Liu Ye Cha 柳叶茶, He Zhuang Cha 贺庄茶 and Teng Zi Cha 藤子茶.