Pu'er tea has been the life blood of the Tea Horse Road for hundreds of years, despite the fact that it remains relatively unknown in the west. White, yellow, green, oolong, black, and pu’er tea leaves are all picked from the same bush, the camellia sinensis. Most of the major differences arise from the way in which the leaves are processed, although climate, elevation and soil all influence the final taste. By far the most important factor, is the level of oxidation that the leaves are allowed to undergo. In the same that an apple begins to brown as soon as it is exposed to the air, tea leaves begin to oxidize naturally as soon as they are picked. The secret with pu'er tea however, is a secondary fermentation process, similar to that of sugars transforming themselves in alcohol in wine, utilizing bacteria only found in Southern Yunnan. Finally, the tea is formed into chunky bricks and cakes, often being pressed into molds by barefoot villagers, similar to the way that grapes were originally pressed for wine. The resulting product proved especially popular with Tibetans. Up on the higher parts of the plateau, vegetables and grains are extremely difficult to grow, and so the population relies heavily on the yak as a major food source. This means a very high cholesterol diet that is rich in fats, oils and salt. Fermented pu'er tea greatly benefits the digestive system, and was the perfect way to improve their fiber-free diet. During the long and hazardous journey, over roaring river valleys and snow-bound high passes, the sweat of the mules deeply infused the saddle bound tea bricks. This, along with the months of bright sunshine of the high elevations, caused the tea bricks to slowly ripen along the way. Ironically, many Tibetans claimed that the taste just was not the same when the bricks started being shipped in by air. Who would have known that horse sweat was such an essential ingredient in a good cup of tea? Some of the best hand-pressed pu'er tea can be purchased in Shaxi ancient town Sideng Square from a young man named Ah Ping, whose family owns a tea plantation in Baocheng, South of Dali. Look for his shop around the corner from 58 Yard Hostel. You can watch him press and package the tea and his retail prices are reasonable for this quality family-owned product. See more about local products under the Shopping link on Shaxi Ancient Town page. labore sustainable VHS.