Tea terroirs: Pu’er city and south Yunnan, home of Pu’er

In 2007, the city of Simao (思茅) changed its name to Pu’er city (普洱市). By doing so, it asserted the fact that it is the heart of the Pu’er (普洱) tea production.

Pu’er city, since it is its name now, used to be an important station on the ancient Tea Horse Road (茶马古道). Located in the south of Yunnan (云南) province in south-western China, it has a population of nearly two and a half million and an area of about forty five thousand square kilometres. This territory encompasses one urban district and nine counties. Its altitude ranges between three hundred and three thousand meters and the climate is subtropical.

Since 2008, the production of Pu’er is restricted by a geographical indication (地理标志). The administrative regions allowed to use the “Pu’er” appellation are all located in southern Yunnan: Pu’er city, Kunming city (昆明市), Chuxiong (Yi nationality) autonomous prefecture (楚雄彝族自治州), Yuxi city (玉溪市), Honghe (Hani and Yi nationalities) autonomous prefecture (红河哈尼族彝族自治州), Wenshan (Zhuang and Miao nationalities) autonomous prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州), Xishuangbanna (Dai nationality) autonomous prefecture (西双版纳傣族自治州), Dali (Bai nationality) autonomous prefecture (大理白族自治州), Baoshan city (保山市), Dehong (Dai and Jingpo nationalities) autonomous province (德宏傣族景颇族自治州) and Lincang city (临沧市).

The Pu’er terroir is home to many ethnic groups and borders the countries of Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

Localise Pu’er city on a map: