Drinking Pu'er tea has become a common custom and an increasingly popular trend, not only among the middle-aged group; the younger generation has also gradually fallen in love with it. With tea houses becoming a most popular industry now, the new generation of operators is also getting younger.

Pu'er tea is one of the top ten most renowned teas of China. It belongs in the black tea category, with its main production area in China's Yunnan province. Its superior geographical environment, with no distinct four seasons but a tropical highland climate, contributes to the special characteristics of Yunnan Pu'er tea.

Pu'er tea's unique flavour is related to its natural transformation process. The mature pu'er tea, having undergone special processing, is compressed into tea cakes of different shapes and sizes and placed in the shade to dry naturally. After that, the tea is packaged and exported to various places according to trade demand.

Yunnan is located at the border of the motherland, by the side of Xishuangbanna, with rugged high mountains that made transportation in the olden days extremely difficult. The transportation of tea leaves had to rely on horses and oxen, requiring lengthy travel time on the mountainous roads. For some part of the journey, the horses could only travel twice a year whereas oxen once. The tea on the horses and oxen is thus subjected to the harsh journey and in the process, it acquires unique characteristics, i.e. that of a bolder taste. Its medicinal effects are also enhanced.

Pu'er tea is `a drinkable heritage'. There are hardly any beverages or foods that possess dual qualities, that is, they can `be drunk and be kept'.The saying goes: "everyone can drink, the older the more precious'. Young Pu'er tea is a beverage everyone can afford, but the value of mature Pu'er is like gold, desirable but unattainable. If there is a `Pu'er scale', on the left end we have the `collectible value', synonymous with `long lasting wealth' which only increases with time; on the right end we have the `consumable value', one whose worth depreciates as you use it. Time is a chip which you use to balance the two sides. As time passes, the chip moves towards the left and the collectible value of the tea increases.

In other words, the collectible value of Pu'er tea is similar to that of red wine; both are dependent on the year of harvest, the origin (of vinery and tea plantation), and a focus on rarity and conservation status.

How the quality of Pu'er tea is evaluated: taste and fragrance. To appreciate Pu'er tea, besides the tea species, production process and storage method, the tea set used, preparation skills and the quality of water also enhance the Pu'er tea's nature, taste and fragrance. One can feel the smoothness when the tea enters into the mouth, and its fragrance lingers on the top and bottom of the tongue, and the throat. Good tea should not be blended with other flavours or bitter elements. This has to do with the tea's manufacturing process. Aside from the production process and storage method, the tea's fragrance and mouth-feel are affected by the quality of the tea species. Problems in storage, production process and tea quality could result in uncomfortable side effects like dry throat, difficulty in swallowing or tight throat after drinking.

Over time, Pu'er tea has become well recognized. Besides its superior tea quality, thirst quenching and rejuvenating properties, it has special medicinal effects. Pu'er tea's medicinal benefits have been recorded in an ancient manuscript - Zhao Xue Ming of Ching Dynasty wrote: `Pu'er tea is mild and fragrant ... yet bitter and full of character, dissolves oil and rids animal toxins, thus not suitable for the weak. It eliminates phlegm and improves digestion. Pu'er tea is very dark in colour, and is great in dispelling alcoholic effects. The green type is better, offering considerable benefits for digestion, clearing phlegm and improves circulation."

Following dramatic lifestyle and environmental changes, people today are constantly living in the shadow of cancer. In fact, more than 10 years ago, Pu'er tea's anti-cancer properties and benefits were confirmed by Kunming Medical Institute of Oncology in Yunnan. In 1991, this was acknowledged at the international Asia-Pacific Cancer Conference. The main health effects of Pu'er tea are: slimming and reducing fat, reducing blood pressure, anti atherosclerotic, anti-cancer, cancer prevention, teeth protection, stomach clearing, anti-ageing, radiation prevention, dispelling alcohol effects and beautifying.