Section I V Evolution of Pu’er Tea’s Connotation (...
Pu’er tea has a long history.During the formation and development, Pu’er tea has absorbed many historical and cultural elements, which makes the names, definitions and connotations of Pu’er tea different in various periods.
In 1978, Professor Chen Chuan of Anhui Agricultural University published the Theory and Practice of Tea Classification in Journal of Tea Business.According to the systematic changes of quality, preparation method and contained substances in Pu’er tea, cube tea, Tuo tea and cake tea were classified as steamed and compressed green tea, while larger-cake tea and compressed tea were classified as dark tea.
In 1979, in the Yunnan Pu’er tea Manufacturing Technology Requirements (Trial Measures),the technical regulations of Pu’er tea processing were drafted, which clearly pointed out that Yunnan Pu’er tea was loose tea and compressed tea produced from Yunnan big-leaf sun-dried crude tea by post-fermentation.It had a brown-red appearance, bright red soup, unique and rich fragrance, sweet and mellow taste and brow-red leaves.
1988年12月，由农业出版社出版的《中国农业百科全书·茶业卷》指出，普洱茶是用云南大叶种鲜叶制成。因历史上滇南、滇西南所产茶叶均集散于普洱县，故以普洱命名。
1992年5月，上海文化出版社出版的《中国茶经》指出，普洱茶是用优良品种云南大叶种，采摘其鲜叶，以杀青揉捻晒干的晒青毛茶（滇青）为原料，经过泼水堆积发酵（沤堆）的特殊工艺加工制成。
2000年12月，中国农业出版社出版的《中国茶叶大辞典》指出，历史上的普洱茶，泛指原思茅（今思茅地区、西双版纳州）生产的，集中于普洱茶府所在地（今普洱县）销售的，以云南大叶种茶为原料制成的晒青毛茶，以及用其压制成的紧压茶。同年出版的《中国名茶志》也指出历史上著名的普洱茶，泛指用云南大叶种茶树鲜叶制成的成品茶。因最古老的产区在滇南思茅、西双版纳一带，集散于普洱府，故称普洱茶。
2003年，云南省出台了地方标准《普洱茶》（DB53／T103—2003），并于同年3月1日起实施。此标准规定：普洱茶是以云南省一定区域内的云南大叶种晒青毛茶为原料，经过后发酵加工成的散茶和紧压茶。其外形色泽褐红，内质汤色红浓明亮，香气独特陈香，滋味醇厚回甘，叶底褐红。
2004年4月16日，农业部发布了中华人民共和国农业行业标准《普洱茶》（NY/T779—2004），进一步明确了普洱茶的概念范畴为：云南大叶种晒青毛茶及其压制茶在良好贮藏条件下长期贮存（十年以上）或云南大叶种晒青毛茶经人工渥堆发酵，使茶多酚等生化成分经氧化聚合水解生化反应最终形成普洱茶特定的品质。
2006年，云南省质量技术监督局发布云南省地方标准（DB53/103—2006），并于10月1日开始实施，该标准进一步强调了普洱茶地理标志产品的属性：普洱茶是云南特有的地理标志产品，以符合普洱茶产地环境条件的云南大叶种晒青茶为原料，按特定的加工工艺生产，具有独特品质特征的茶叶。
In December 1988, the Encyclopedia of Chinese Agriculture ·Tea Volume published by Agricultural Publishing House pointed out that Pu’er tea was made from fresh Yunnan big-leaf tea.Historically, the tea produced in south and southwest Yunnan was distributed in Pu’er County, so it was named after Pu’er.
In May 1992, the Chinese Tea Classic published by Shanghai Culture Publishing House pointed out that Pu’er tea was made from superior Yunnan big-leaf tea through special process, i.e.fresh Yunnan big-leaf tea was picked and sun-dried into crude tea (Dianqing)and then watered and fermented by piling (piles)and finally made into Pu’er tea.
In December 2000, the Chinese Tea Dictionary published by China Agricultural Publishing House pointed out that Pu’er tea in history generally referred to the sun-dried crude tea and compressed tea respectively made and pressed from Yunnan big-leaf tea, which was produced in Simao (now Simao and Xishuangbanna)and sold in the place where Pu’er Prefecture is located (now Pu’er County).The Records of Chinese Famous Tea published in the same year also pointed out that the famous Pu’er tea in history generally referred to the finished tea made from fresh leaves of Yunnan big-leaf tea trees.Because the oldest producing areas were located in Simao and Xishuangbanna of southern Yunnan and the tea was distributed in Pu’er Prefecture, it was called“Pu’er tea”.
In 2003, Yunnan Province issued the local standard Pu’er Tea (DB53/T103-2003), which was implemented on March 1 of the same year.This standard stipulated: Pu’er tea was loose tea and compressed tea which were made from Yunnan big-leaf sun-dried crude tea in a certain area of Yunnan, and then processed by post-fermentation.It had a brown-red appearance, bright red soup,unique and rich fragrance, sweet and mellow taste and brow-red leaves.
On April 16, 2004, the Ministry of Agriculture issued Pu’er Tea (NY/T779-2004), an agricultural industry standard of the People’s Republic of China, which further defined the concept category of Pu’er tea: Yunnan big-leaf sun-dried crude tea and its compressed tea after stored for a long time (more than ten years)under good conditions, or Yunnan big-leaf sun-dried crude tea after artificial pile fermentation can make biochemical components such as tea polyphenols undergo oxidative polymerization,hydrolysis and biochemical reaction to finally form a specific quality of Pu’er tea.
In 2006, Yunnan Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision issued Yunnan local standard DB53/103-2006, which came into effect on October 11 and further emphasized the attribute of Pu’er tea as the geological indication product: Pu’er tea is a unique geographical indication product in Yunnan, which is made from Yunnan big-leaf sun-dried crude tea growing in the places meeting the environmental conditions of Pu’er tea producing area, and processed by specific technology to obtain the unique quality characteristics.
In 2008, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China and the Standardization Administration jointly issued the national standard Pu’er Tea as Geological Indication Product (GB/T22111-2008)which was officially implemented on December 1.This standard clearly specifies the origin range, tea variety,processing technology, quality characteristics and classification of Pu’er tea.Pu’er tea is made from Yunnan big-leaf sun-dried crude tea by specific processing technology within the geographical indication protection range, with unique quality characteristics.According to the processing technology and quality characteristics, Pu’er tea can be classified as raw Pu’er tea and fermented Pu’er tea.The standard stipulates the following protection range of Pu’er tea as geological indication product: 11 prefectures and cities such as Pu’er City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Lincang City, Kunming City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Baoshan City, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yuxi City and Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and 639 villages and towns under the jurisdiction of 75 counties (cities).Only the tea, with specific quality characteristics, made from Yunnan big-leaf sun-dried crude tea within the geographical indication protection range in accordance with the prescribed procedures can be called“Pu’er tea”.
2008年，中华人民共和国国家质量监督检验检疫总局和中国国家标准化管理委员会联合发布了中华人民共和国国家标准《地理标志产品普洱茶》（GB/T22111—2008），并于12月1日起正式实施。该标准在对普洱茶的产地范围、茶树品种、加工工艺、品质特征和分类等均作了明确规范要求：以地理标志保护范围内的云南大叶种晒青茶为原料，并在地理标志保护范围内采用特定的加工工艺制成，具有独特品质特征的茶叶按其加工工艺及品质特征，普洱茶分为普洱茶（生茶）和普洱茶（熟茶）两种类型。该标准规定普洱茶地理标志产品保护范围包括云南省普洱市、西双版纳傣族自治州、临沧市、昆明市、大理白族自治州、保山市、德宏傣族景颇族自治州、楚雄彝族自治州、红河哈尼族彝族自治州、玉溪市和文山壮族苗族自治州等11个州（市），75个县（市）所属的639个乡镇。只有在地理标志保护范围内采用云南大叶种晒青茶按照规定工序所产具有特定品质特征的茶叶才是普洱茶。