Although this article is a few years old, we still find many friends new to tea being deceived by these lies. Therefore, we are sharing it again, hoping everyone will forward it widely so more people can see it and avoid being misled!

Lie One: Yunnan Pu-erh tea is divided into large-leaf and small-leaf varieties.

Some merchants, to cover up the counterfeit or inferior quality of their tea, make an issue of large-leaf versus small-leaf varieties, even claiming that small-leaf tea can also be Pu-erh. According to the widely accepted definition of Pu-erh tea, only sun-dried large-leaf tea from Yunnan can be processed into Pu-erh tea, possessing the tea quality that offers more benefits to human health.

Truth One: Tea cakes made from small-leaf varieties are not called Pu-erh.

Lie Two: There is no small-leaf tea in Yunnan.

Emphasizing a concept based on origin or production area, claiming that Yunnan has no small-leaf tea, is also misleading. The formation of Yunnan large-leaf variety Pu-erh tea is closely related to Yunnan's unique climate and environment. Many high-mountain tea gardens and ancient tea trees are predominantly large-leaf varieties, and a significant portion of later artificially improved or cultivated tea is large-leaf. However, this does not mean Yunnan has no small-leaf varieties. For example, some raw materials used to process scented tea and black tea include small-leaf varieties.

Truth Two: Ultimately, leaf variety is just a biological issue. When drinking tea, what suits you best is what matters.

Lie Three: Large-leaf tea is superior to small-leaf tea.

Due to Pu-erh tea's special production process, combined with the local suitable climate and soil environment, sun-dried large-leaf tea has its unique advantages. However, this does not mean large-leaf Pu-erh is necessarily superior to other medium-leaf or small-leaf teas. One can only judge which is higher or lower based on personal understanding and taste when comparing a specific tea or teas of a certain grade.

In the hype and dissemination of Pu-erh tea, a concept consistently emphasized is that the large-leaf variety is the source of Pu-erh's excellent quality: large-leaf tea is more resistant to multiple infusions, rich in more trace elements, and improves better with age. Too many advantages of Pu-erh tea are attributed to the biological variety, placing an unbearable burden on the issue of leaf size.

Truth Three: Pu-erh tea is ultimately a beverage. Whether the leaf is large or small, in the end, the Pu-erh tea that suits your taste is good tea. Of course, if the concept of a tea relies solely on raw materials or biological classification for its definition, it can hardly be too rigorous and is naturally difficult to control. After all, for a non-standardized food like tea, there are too many uncertain factors.

Lie Four: Yunnan Pu-erh tea is divided into arbor and shrub types.

One cannot directly say this approach is wrong because it is indeed another botanical issue. Those who have investigated and learned about Yunnan Pu-erh tea know that in Yunnan Pu-erh tea regions, tea is only distinguished as ancient tree, big tree, and terrace tea. There is no distinction like the arbor and shrub types mentioned in the north.

Some avant-garde views even believe that all Pu-erh tea is arbor tea. Terrace tea is artificially prevented from growing too tall for easier management, hence forming what we now see as shrub-like tea. Judging from the tea tree and rootstock, terrace tea should also belong to arbor tea.

Truth Four: The terms "arbor" and "shrub" are merely concepts演绎 (deduced/concocted) by tea dealers to differentiate their products. They even unilaterally label terrace tea as shrub tea. The only purpose is to抬高 (inflate) the price of arbor tea. For beginners in Pu-erh, the so-called "shrub tea" from dealers might be more suitable—it can save tuition fees—but be sure not to buy fake tea!

Lie Five: Arbor tea is of better quality than shrub tea.

This is also a very generalized statement. It should be said that the geographical and climatic environments across the Lancang River basin are quite similar. Whether terrace tea or big tree tea, arbor tea or shrub tea, they all possess favorable growth and ecological conditions. However, the final formation of tea quality depends on many aspects, such as工艺 (craft) and做工 (workmanship). Teas of similar quality can differ greatly due to different processing methods. Another point is that the aroma and inner quality of teas from different regions are different. Comparisons should only be made between teas from the same region and the same time period. It is absolutely meaningless to compare Menghai's terrace spring tea with Pu-erh's big tree autumn tea.

Truth Five: Comparisons must have a principle. One can only conduct quantitative analysis of similarities and differences between teas from different regions during the same period, or make纵向 (longitudinal) comparisons of teas from the same region at different times. Generalized comparisons are meaningless. If a dealer compares teas for some purpose, there might be personal gain behind it.

Lie Six: Terrace tea is inferior to big tree tea, let alone ancient tree tea.

This falls into the bottomless pit of time, location, and tea region again. Any comparison must have predefined conditions. One cannot笼统地 (vaguely/generally) claim one type of tea is inferior to another; there are too many factors that can influence this. If a tea shop owner keeps praising a certain type of tea without reason while贬低 (belittling) others, you should be more cautious—he might be trying to忽悠 (hoodwink) you!

Truth Six: When unable to distinguish between terrace tea, big tree tea, or wild tea, choose what's right, not what's expensive.

Lie Seven: The price difference between terrace and ancient tree tea lies in quality.

This is an irresponsible statement. The price of Banzhang terrace tea from the same period might be higher than that of big tree tea from some other regions. One reason is the inherent quality of the tea leaves themselves; another is the issue of yield. The high price of big tree tea is mainly due to its scarcity. When something is rare, it becomes valuable. With many people competing for the limited原料 (raw materials) of big or ancient trees, it's no wonder the price is high. To truly judge from a quality perspective, scientific testing and analysis are required.

Truth Seven: Whether ancient tree, big tree, or terrace tea, if you like it, it's good. If you seek spiritual satisfaction beyond taste and health, buy the scarce ancient tree or big tree tea—but this must be前提 (on the premise) that you understand Pu-erh. From a practical standpoint, go for terrace tea. After all, the working class lives by节俭 (frugality).

Lie Eight: Wild tea is certainly superior to wild-grown tea.

Have you noticed that all concepts are set to distinguish quality and price levels? This also determines the "善意" (well-intentioned)误导 (misguidance) by tea merchants to promote a particular tea. Since the quantity of truly wild tea is very limited, a later practice was invented: letting人工栽培的 (artificially cultivated) tea gardens grow wild. Generally speaking, wild-grown tea has more favorable客观条件 (objective conditions) for quality than directly cultivated gardens, but this is not a必要条件 (necessary condition).

Truth Eight: Whether wild or wild-grown, again, conceptual things are not important. Good tea is for drinking; what suits you is good.

Lie Nine: The raw material for Pu-erh tea is Yunnan large-leaf sun-dried raw tea.

Conceptually, this statement is not wrong. But in rainy Yunnan, ensuring all post-fixation leaves are naturally sun-dried is somewhat impossible. Many tea leaves are dried by baking or steaming. Therefore, "sun-dried raw tea" is only a relative concept. Some teas emit a strong smoky smell at the beginning of brewing, naturally due to smoke contamination during the fixation and drying processes.

Truth Nine: Understanding Pu-erh tea's production process allows one to appreciate the differences at each stage, highlighting the importance of Pu-erh's workmanship.

Lie Ten: Pu-erh tea is divided into raw tea and ripe tea.

Raw and ripe Pu-erh tea are only relative concepts. Conventionally, Pu-erh tea that has undergone pile-fermentation is called ripe tea, while tea without pile-fermentation is called raw tea. The difference lies solely in the production process, which affects quality. However, unless there are major issues with the工艺 (craft), it generally doesn't cause too significant an impact.

Truth Ten: Pile-fermentation accelerates the aging of Pu-erh tea. It takes away some elements from Pu-erh but also赋予 (imparts) some beneficial ones. Raw tea maintains some advantages of traditional Pu-erh, allowing one to appreciate its depth through time's transformation. There is no absolute boundary between raw and ripe tea; it's merely a difference in processing.

Lie Eleven: Large factories are certainly better than small workshops.

This is a false proposition. One can only say large factories have the equipment conditions to produce good tea, but these conditions are not necessary for making good tea. It's like how a大酒店 (large hotel) can prepare excellent dishes, but one can also prepare a banquet at home. However, with the strict implementation of QS认证 (Quality Safety certification), large factories become more legitimate, while small workshops face取缔 (elimination). Small workshops need to make many adjustments and improvements to survive and meet overall development requirements.

Truth Eleven: Traditional Pu-erh processing relied on纯手工 (pure manual labor) or small workshops. But modern food safety and hygiene requirements demand a clean and sanitary operating environment, especially for directly consumed food. Quality-wise, tea from large factories is not necessarily superior to that from small ones. It关键看 (crucially depends on) what raw materials the factory purchases. You can't cook a delicious meal with烂菜叶子 (rotten vegetables). Therefore, choosing tea shouldn't只看出身 (only look at origin); the most important thing is to look, drink, and savor it.

Lie Twelve: Pu-erh tea is divided into dry storage and wet storage.

The storage of Pu-erh tea directly affects its aging. Traditionally, Pu-erh tea only had dry storage, not wet storage. Wet storage emerged from不法茶商 (unscrupulous tea merchants) seeking quick profits. Wet storage is an artificial ripening process that违背 (violates) the natural aging规律 (laws) and should not be promoted. A clean, ventilated storage environment is the prerequisite for Pu-erh tea to transform well.

Truth Twelve: Rather choose cheap dry-stored tea than buy throat-drying wet-stored goods.