Each type of tea has different tea natures due to varying processing methods, where the fermentation level determines the tea's character. Regular tea drinkers have certain standards for evaluating good tea liquor, first observing the liquor color, followed by tea energy, aroma, tea nature, etc., while taste and lingering sweetness are also important criteria. Are you familiar with the characteristics of Pu-erh tea? Yunnan Pu-erh tea is made from fresh leaves of the Yunnan large-leaf variety, featuring thick and stout strips, dark glossy or brownish-red coloration, mellow and sweet taste, and unique aged aroma that makes it famous. Pu-erh tea's nature includes cool (cold), neutral, and warm properties. Ripe Pu-erh is warm-natured with good stomach-nourishing and warming effects, while raw Pu-erh is stimulating and considered cool-natured, unsuitable for those with stomach issues. Below are the five major characteristics of Pu-erh tea.

Pu-erh tea is a famous local tea from Yunnan with historical origins. It consists of two series: raw Pu-erh directly processed from Yunnan sun-dried green tea, and ripe Pu-erh processed through accelerated fermentation. In form, it includes loose tea and compressed tea. Both continue natural aging after production, developing better aroma with time. Especially, longer-aged Pu-erh has greater efficacy, earning reputations as "beauty tea" and "weight loss tea". The five major characteristics are as follows:

1. Mild tea nature that doesn't harm the stomach. Pu-erh is excellent for stomach nourishment and energy replenishment. Its caffeine has been fermented over years, causing no excitation after drinking. Historically, Empress Dowager Cixi had the habit of drinking Pu-erh tea at night.

2. Scientifically proven natural health beverage. Pu-erh's characteristic includes significant health benefits. After medical confirmation of its cancer-prevention and health functions, Pu-erh enthusiasts gained more confidence. Its fat-removing, digestive, and weight-loss properties attract countless beauty and fitness enthusiasts, while middle-aged people particularly rely on Pu-erh.

3. Easy to brew and durable, convenient to prepare. Can be brewed in large pots and consumed in big cups or bowls. Best consumed hot after brewing with boiling water. Comforts the stomach after drinking, effective for senile constipation and frequent urination. Pu-erh replenishes energy and stabilizes essence, showing good effects for male impotence. Older Pu-erh (longer aged) has better energy-tonifying and yang-strengthening effects. Cases of prostatitis cured by Pu-erh demonstrate significant detoxification and anti-inflammatory functions.

4. Easy to store. Important storage note: avoid sealing, allow ventilation because Pu-erh is a "living organism". Its main characteristic lies in the ongoing "post-fermentation" (or aging process) after tea completion. Over time, its flavor transforms toward stability and subtlety, with different aging periods producing distinct flavors. This allows tea drinkers and collectors to participate in "tea production and completion". The final completion of a Pu-erh cake might take decades or nearly a century, as from the moment leaves leave the tree until hot water pours into the pot, it remains in "modern present tense", constantly transforming.

5. Drinkable antique. The greatest characteristic is high collection value. Drinking Pu-erh is experiencing life's process, tasting history. Few beverages or foods possess Pu-erh's dual characteristics of "drinkable and collectible". "Everyone can drink it, older ones cost more" - new Pu-erh is accessible daily beverage, while aged Pu-erh is "pricelike gold", unattainable for many. If the left side of the "Pu-erh balance" represents "collection value" (durable asset that only appreciates), and the right side represents "drinking value" (consumable asset that decreases with consumption), then "time" is the weight sliding between them. As time weight shifts left, the tea's collection value increases. "Drinkable and collectible" is Pu-erh's dual characteristic. "More valuable than gold" represents benefits exchanged through time, an invisible asset, and secure investment.

This concludes the introduction to Pu-erh tea characteristics. The principle of "varying with individuals" cannot be ignored when drinking tea. Different constitutions require different tea natures. Each tea type has different nature, suggesting everyone choose corresponding teas based on personal conditions. Only then can tea drinking achieve health preservation effects - never follow trends blindly.