Dark tea is one of my country's six traditional tea categories, primarily produced in Yunnan, Hunan, Sichuan, Guangxi, and Hubei provinces. In recent years, with the increasing awareness of the health benefits of dark tea, the domestic market demand for dark tea has remained strong, with Anhua dark tea from Hunan and Pu'er tea from Yunnan being particularly prominent. How much do you know about the differences between Anhua dark tea and Pu'er tea?
This article will analyze the similarities and differences between Anhua dark tea and Pu'er tea in terms of origin, raw materials, processing, quality, tasting, and tea customs.
Anhua dark tea and Pu'er tea do have some similarities. First, they are both traditional famous teas named after their place of origin.
Anhua Dark Tea is a national geographical indication protected product, named after Anhua County in Hunan Province, where it originates. The earliest written records of it date back to the third year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty. Pu'er tea, on the other hand, is a traditional historical tea originally produced in the area under the jurisdiction of Pu'er Prefecture, which served as the center for tea processing, tribute, trade, and distribution. Currently, the production area of Pu'er tea has expanded beyond Xishuangbanna and Simao regions to include 28 counties and cities such as Lincang, Dali, and Kunming, with various types of compressed Pu'er tea being processed mainly in Menghai, Dali, Fengqing, and Kunming.
Secondly, both teas primarily consist of compressed tea products.
Both Anhua dark tea and Pu'er tea were originally sold as loose tea in baskets. Later, for ease of transportation, they gradually developed into compressed tea products such as brick tea and tuocha (bowl-shaped tea). Anhua dark tea now comes in varieties such as black brick tea, flower brick tea, Fuzhuan brick tea, and Qianliang tea, while Pu'er tea includes varieties such as Qizi Bingcha (seven-piece cake tea), Tuocha, and Jinguagong tea (golden melon tribute tea).
Furthermore, their distribution and evolution in sales regions are similar. In their early stages, Anhua dark tea and Pu'er tea were primarily sold as border trade teas to provinces and regions such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, Tibet, Gansu, and Ningxia, serving as major commodities in the tea-horse trade. Later, they gradually spread to the vast central plains of China, even being offered as tribute to the imperial court, and eventually reaching Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. They were also exported to countries such as Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, France, the United Kingdom, North Korea, and Japan, enjoying great popularity among consumers, with some even becoming collector's items.
Both Anhua dark tea and Pu'er tea have considerable potential for appreciation in value. Due to their long shelf life and the fact that older teas command higher prices, both types of tea have high collectible value and potential for appreciation.
Having discussed the similarities between Anhua dark tea and Pu'er tea, let's now talk about their differences.
First, the product varieties are different.
Anhua dark tea products mainly include Black Brick Tea, Flower Brick Tea, Fu Brick Tea, Tianjian Tea, Gongjian Tea, Shengjian Tea, and Huajuan Tea (also known as Qianliang Tea). Tianjian, Gongjian, and Shengjian are loose leaf teas, currently packaged in 2 kg bamboo baskets, with varying net weights: Tianjian is 50 kg, Gongjian is 45 kg, and Shengjian is 40 kg. Yunnan Pu-erh tea also has both loose leaf and compressed tea products. Loose leaf teas include Spring Bud, Spring Sprout, Spring Tip, and various grades of Palace Tribute Tea (grades 1, 3, 5, and 7). Compressed teas include brick tea, cake tea, tuocha tea, column tea, dragon ball tea, golden melon tea, and gourd-shaped tower tea, among others.
Secondly, the growing environments are different.
Pu'er tea is mainly produced in Xishuangbanna, Lincang, and Pu'er regions of Yunnan Province, which are located on a plateau with a spring-like climate year-round. Anhua dark tea is produced in Anhua County, Hunan Province, located at 28° north latitude, which is part of the golden tea-growing belt. The region has abundant rainfall, distinct seasons, and glacial till soil suitable for tea cultivation.
Third, the raw tea leaves are different.
The initial processing of Anhua dark tea uses fresh leaves from the Yuntai Mountain large-leaf variety grown in Anhua County as raw material. In contrast, the raw material for the initial processing of authentic Pu-erh tea comes from the Yunnan large-leaf varieties grown in the middle and lower reaches of the Lancang River in Yunnan, specifically in the Xishuangbanna, Lincang, Simao, Dali, and Baoshan areas, as well as clonal varieties selected from these large-leaf varieties. Although both are "large-leaf varieties," there are significant differences in the chemical composition of their fresh leaves. For example, the total polyphenol content and the content of various catechin components in the Yunnan large-leaf varieties are significantly higher than those in the Yuntai Mountain large-leaf variety.
Fourth, the manufacturing process is different.
The initial processing steps for Anhua dark tea raw leaves include killing the green, rolling, piling, and drying. In the traditional processing of Anhua dark tea, the piling, drying, and re-rolling processes are repeated three times: the first piling takes about 20 hours, followed by the first drying until it is about one-third dry. Then, it is piled again for about 15 hours, followed by the second drying until it is about half dry. The third stage of piling takes about 30 hours, and the final drying is done on a seven-star stove, using pine wood open fire roasting. The dried tea gradually turns dark and lustrous, while also exhibiting a unique pine smoke aroma. The raw material for Yunnan Pu'er tea is sun-dried green tea, and its initial processing steps include killing the enzymes, rolling and breaking up the leaves, and sun-drying. Generally, the leaves are harvested during the day, processed (killing the enzymes and rolling) in the evening, and dried the following day.
Finished Pu'er tea products from Yunnan are divided into raw tea and ripe tea. Raw Pu'er tea refers to compressed tea in the form of cakes, bricks, or tuocha (bowl-shaped tea) made from sun-dried green tea leaves of the large-leaf variety from Yunnan, without artificial fermentation. Ripe Pu'er tea, on the other hand, is made from sun-dried green tea leaves that undergo artificial fermentation through wetting and piling. By controlling the temperature, humidity, and fermentation time, a fermented material is produced, which is then processed through steaming, pressing, and drying to create compressed ripe Pu'er tea in the form of cakes, bricks, or tuocha, or it can be made into loose-leaf ripe Pu'er tea without steaming and pressing.
Due to differences in fresh leaf raw materials, initial processing of raw tea, and refining techniques, Anhua dark tea and Pu-erh tea exhibit significant differences in tea liquor concentration, color, aroma, taste, leaf residue, and brewing durability after brewing.
Fifth, the aroma, taste, and leaf appearance are different.
The aroma of Pu-erh tea after brewing is generally rich, heavy, and profound, mainly featuring woody, aged, and ginseng-like notes. The aroma of Anhua dark tea after brewing is more open and refreshing, mainly exhibiting mushroom, glutinous rice, or fresh fragrance, with aged woody notes in older dark teas. The taste of ripe Pu-erh tea is thick and mellow; while Anhua dark tea has a sweet and pure taste, smooth and gentle, appearing more refreshing than the former, with a noticeable and lasting aftertaste. The fresh leaves used to make Pu-erh tea are mostly whole buds and shoots, while the fresh leaves used for Anhua dark tea have a higher stem content and are generally chopped during processing. Therefore, the integrity of the tea leaves after brewing is poorer in Anhua dark tea compared to Pu-erh tea.
Sixth, the methods of preparing and consuming the two teas are different.
Anhua dark tea is generally brewed with boiling water, boiled, or prepared as a mixed beverage. Anhua dark tea made from coarser, older leaves is particularly suitable for boiling. Consumers in border regions and ethnic minority groups often prepare Anhua dark tea as milk tea. Pu-erh tea is generally brewed directly with boiling water, mainly using a gaiwan or Yixing teapot. Some aged Pu-erh teas are also prepared by boiling.
Seventh, there are differences in tea culture and customs based on regional characteristics.
Emperor Yan, Shennong, is revered as one of the ancestors of the Chinese nation. Lu Yu, the tea sage of the Tang Dynasty, recorded in his "Classic of Tea" that "tea as a beverage originated with Shennong and became known during the time of Duke Zhou of Lu." Since the Xiang-Chu region was the main area of activity for Shennong, the people in the Anhua black tea producing area all revere Emperor Yan as the ancestor of tea.
The Pu'er tea-producing regions of Yunnan are mostly inhabited by ethnic minorities. For generations, these ethnic groups have revered Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, as the ancestor of tea. The story of Zhuge Liang spreading tea cultivation is widely circulated. For example, in the legends of the Jinuo people of Youle Tea Mountain in Yunnan, it is said that Zhuge Liang gave them tea seeds, allowing them to settle down and cultivate tea for a living, and therefore they have revered Zhuge Liang for generations. There is also a legend that the production of "Seven Sons Cake" tea is a commemoration of Zhuge Liang's seven captures and releases of Meng Huo, the leader of the southern region at the time, which ultimately led to Meng Huo's submission.
Anhua, historically part of Xiadong Meishan, is located in the heart of Hunan province, surrounded by towering mountains. The tea-drinking customs of Anhua are a fusion of the indigenous Meishan culture and the broader Hunan culture, reflecting the lifestyle and the kind, simple, and respectful cultural traditions of the Anhua people. Anhua's tea-drinking customs are diverse and can be broadly categorized into three types based on their function: medicinal tea, everyday tea, and hospitality tea. The most famous among these is Anhua Lei Cha (pounded tea). Lei Cha is often served with snacks such as roasted peanuts, pickled radishes, and sweet potato chips. Besides Anhua Lei Cha, there are also Anhua Sesame Tea, Anhua Granular Tea, Anhua Cup Tea, and Anhua Large Bowl Tea.
Yunnan Province, the producing area of Pu'er tea, is a border province with a large number of ethnic minorities. Here, towering mountains and winding rivers create a stunning landscape. The diverse topography and climate have fostered biodiversity, ethnic diversity, and cultural diversity. The integration of tea with Yunnan's ethnic cultures has given rise to a vibrant and multifaceted tea culture and drinking customs. All 25 ethnic minorities in Yunnan Province love drinking tea, but each has its own unique tea-drinking customs. The most representative examples include the Dai people's "bamboo tube roasted tea," the Hani people's "earthen pot tea," the Lahu people's "roasted tea," the Bai people's "three-course tea," the Naxi people's "Dragon and Tiger Tea," and the Miao people's "vegetable-wrapped tea."
Finally, let's summarize. Anhua dark tea from Hunan and Pu'er tea from Yunnan are both renowned dark tea products with rich historical and cultural heritage. They share similarities in their origins, product forms, consumption patterns, health benefits, and collectible value. However, differences in their production environments, raw materials, and processing techniques result in distinct quality characteristics, leading to varying preferences in brewing methods and drinking styles.
Finally, here's a question for you: Based on your personal taste preferences, do you prefer Anhua dark tea or Pu-erh tea? Why? Feel free to leave your comments and discuss.