Ⅲ.The Ming Dynasty
(I)“Annals of Yunnan”(1572-1576)
The book was written by Zou Yinglong and edited by Li Yuanyang in the Ming Dynasty, and the volume 16 recorded“that tea is produced in Pu’er, Cheli”.
Cheli, which is now Jinghong City, Yunnan Province, was changed to Cheli Province and set up Cheli Military and Civilian Prefecture in the 15th year of Hongwu Period of the Ming Dynasty(1382), which was administrated by Pu’er Prefecture in the Qing Dynasty.It is clearly pointed out in the book that tea was produced in Pu’er and the name of Pu’er at that time is explained.
(II)Brief History of Yunnan (in 1621)
It was written by Xie Zhaozhe in the Ming Dynasty, and it is recorded in volume three that:
“It is harsh in Yunnan, and there is no tea not due to absence of local tea produces.Local people don’t know how to pick, process and cook tea, so there is no quality tea…Scholars and civilians only drink Pu tea, which is steamed into tea balls.This kind of tea is only a little better than water.”
全书对云南政治、经济、文化等方面作了较全面记载，作者对云南茶叶作了简要概述，指出“滇苦无茗，非其地不产也”，而是因为“土人不得采造之方，即成而不知烹瀹之节，犹无茗也”，说明当时普洱茶的加工制造及烹饮还处在初级阶段。该史料首次提到了“普茶”，并指出其“蒸而成团”的制作工艺。
（三）《物理小识》（1643年）
明末方以智著，其中记载：
“普洱茶，蒸之成团，西番市之，最能化物。”
这是“普洱茶”一词最早见于文字的记载。