Pu-Erh is an iconic tea with a fascinating history, from the old tea horse road where the beverage originated in the 6th century to the dramatic rise and decline of the Pu-Erh market when the bubble burst in 2007. What makes this tea, after centuries of development and change, so popular today?

Jinghong Zhang's comprehensive book, Puer Tea: Ancient Caravans and Urban Chic, is an artful blend of research, travel anecdotes and statistics that paints a complete picture of the complex and multifaceted story of Pu-Erh tea, past and present. Along the way, read stories about the people who dedicate their time and passion to its manufacturing and distribution process. More than just business, the Pu-Erh tea industry Zhang portrays is a powerful, influential force in Yunnan province that reaches into the culture, tourism and economy of the region.

Zhang grew up in Kunming, Yunnan, in southwest China, drinking tea with her family. As her interest in the tea's growing popularity piqued, she began her journey researching Pu-erh to better understand the cultural importance of the tea and its history to the people of her homeland. Zhang's perspective gives the book a uniquely personal touch, coloring depictions of tea processing (often scientific and straightforward) with the compelling personalities of the people who live there.

Have you ever wondered, "How was Pu-Erh tea transformed from something ordinary and familiar into something remarkable and exotic in Yunnan? Why have so many people been compelled to collect, drink, admire, and study it? How did multiple players cause the value of Pu-Erh tea to skyrocket and then plummet... and how do ordinary tea peasants, traders, and consumers survive in this chaotic battle?" Enjoy Puer Tea: Ancient Caravans and Urban Chic, with a cup of our Bulang Mountain Sheng or Shou Pu-Erh, and discover the Yunnan province, a nation's fascination with the legend of tea, the urban craze, and its enduring legacy.