Why Drink Tea

#World's Three Major Plant-Based Beverages: Tea is the Healthiest#

Tea, coffee, and cocoa are the world's three major non-alcoholic plant-based beverages with widespread influence globally. Among them, tea has been spreading worldwide for thousands of years, profoundly impacting many civilizations. During the Tang Dynasty, tea was introduced to Japan by students and scholars, and tea ceremony has since become a unique aspect of Japanese culture. In the Ming Dynasty era of great maritime exploration, the Dutch introduced tea to the West, particularly to Britain, where it has a history of over 350 years of consumption and has become an integral part of British culture and identity. Today, tea is recognized as one of the healthiest beverages due to its natural growing environment, pure processing methods, mild nature, and Health benefits, aligning with modern consumers' preference for “sugar-free” products. Currently, more than 60 countries produce tea, and there are over two billion tea enthusiasts globally.

Professor Wang Yuefei, director of the Tea Research Institute at Zhejiang University, states that in the next three to five years, tea will unleash tremendous potential. Why is this so? Firstly, the health benefits of tea are increasingly recognized by more people. Secondly, Chinese Tea is highly representative of Chinese culture and consumption. With the country's prosperity and economic development, the rise in national strength and cultural confidence leads to a noticeable increase in demand for tea.

In recent years, while tea production continues to rise, the scale of China's tea industry market also maintains a steady growth trend. According to data from enterprises, the overall size of China's tea market is approximately 520 billion RMB, with the original leaf tea market exceeding 300 billion RMB, and the ready-to-drink tea market reaching around 200 billion RMB. The tea industry still has significant room for growth. As Professor Wang mentioned, with the pursuit of health and the rise in economic and cultural confidence, often referred to as “prosperous times bring the rise of tea,” the future of tea is bright and full of promise.

Why Pu'er Tea Deserves Appreciation and Collection

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Three Characteristics That Elevate the Value of Pu'er Tea

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If Drinking Tea is healthy, but there are six major types of tea in China, why choose Pu'er tea? Noted scholar Yu Qiuyu, in his work “Extreme Beauty,” delves into the aesthetics of Chinese culture, elaborately explaining “the three unique supreme treasures of Chinese culture: calligraphy, Kunqu opera, and Pu'er tea.” He guides readers in savoring the spiritual beauty of Eastern culture. Yu Qiuyu notes that “any culture will have a large number of external declarations and markers, but hidden within, there are a few ‘vital points' and ‘birthmarks.' Pu'er tea, along with Kunqu opera and calligraphy, are the ‘vital points' and ‘birthmarks' secretly harbored by Chinese culture.” In the chapter “Appreciating Pu'er Tea,” it is explicitly stated that Pu'er tea is the final destination for all tea drinkers. Why? There are primarily three reasons: efficacy, taste, and depth. These are the unique charms of Pu'er tea.

Firstly, it's about efficacy. Good Pu'er tea, such as aged ripe Pu'er, is characterized by a rich flavor and a gentle nature. Drinking a few cups not only delivers a pleasant taste but also provides a sense of thorough satisfaction throughout the body. Nowadays, in China, diets tend to be high in fat and sugar, and modern scientific testing methods have confirmed that Pu'er tea indeed has significant effects in lowering blood sugar and lipids. Moreover, ripe Pu'er tea does not affect sleep, which is almost unparalleled among various teas, alleviating the concerns of tea drinkers.

Secondly, it's about taste. Among all tea types, Pu'er tea undergoes unique post-transformation and exhibits distinct flavors from different famous mountains, such as one tea, one taste, one land, and one aroma. Taste is one of the most attractive aspects of Pu'er tea. Pu'er tea boasts a diverse range of aromas, including orchid, honey, floral, jujube, mushroom, apricot kernel, and others. Regarding the taste of Pu'er tea, Professor Yu Qiuyu summarizes it as rich and warm, yet infinitely variable on this base tone. This represents not just a sensation in the mouth but even elevates to a psychological experience. This is unparalleled in other tea types.

Thirdly, it's about depth. Pu'er tea improves with age, becoming better and more fragrant over time. This is the most unique feature of Pu'er tea. According to Professor Yu Qiuyu, the richness, complexity, and academic nature of Pu'er tea are comparable only to French red wine in the world. To summarize, Pu'er tea deserves appreciation and collection, with the key lying both in tasting and in collecting. Tasting refers to the health benefits of drinking tea, while collecting is related to the development history of Pu'er tea.

The value of a collectible requires validation through countless individuals and long periods. Starting from the Qing Dynasty, Pu'er tea was a healthy beverage for the imperial court and nobility. In the 1990s, Pu'er tea became popular in Taiwan and Hong Kong, attracting many enthusiasts to taste and collect it, demonstrating the cultural and investment value of Pu'er tea validated by history. Even today, we can hear various accolades for Pu'er tea from cultural figures who are currently highly sought after. For example, Fan Deng, a well-known figure, once said that those making big money in the tea industry may not necessarily be those producing green tea, but a majority of them do make Pu'er tea. Selling Pu'er tea generates cash flow, and if unsold, it appreciates in value, earning even more.

For instance, Lanchang Ancient Tea's 2009 Wu Jin, a well-known ripe tea in the Pu'er tea industry, is now highly sought after in the market due to its accumulated reputation and quality over the years. This is the unique aspect of Pu'er tea and the most direct feedback of its time value, becoming more fragrant with age.

How to Choose Good Pu'er Tea

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Good Product + Good Brand = Worthy of Appreciation and Collection

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Can we use the example of wine to see if there's a formula for selecting good tea? Red wine and white wine are the world's two major alcoholic beverages. Among red wines, the most famous is undoubtedly the 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild. Why is it renowned worldwide and considered a prestigious choice for important occasions? The reason lies in the fact that in Bordeaux, France, the birthplace of Château Lafite Rothschild, 1982 was a rare good year with excellent climatic conditions, resulting in high-quality grapes. Thus, the wine of that vintage received universal acclaim among wine collectors worldwide, making it very expensive. Additionally, Château Lafite Rothschild is the most renowned winery in the entire Bordeaux region. A good vintage, combined with a top-notch product and a strong brand reputation, naturally makes the 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild a favored choice. In terms of white wine, there are several well-known brands in China, but if one wants to drink or collect, the ones widely recognized and accepted are usually the top three, or even the top two, in the industry. It is well known that Maotai ranks first among white wine brands in China. Why is it recognized? In summary, the experience of selecting wine can be summed up as: good product + good brand = worthy of appreciation and collection. The same principle applies to Pu'er tea: good Pu'er + good brand = a tea worthy of appreciation and collection.