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Tea Series Three: Gu Shu Pu’er

A Gentle Journey with Aged Leaves

Gu Shu Pu’er Tea (photo by JenniferW)

📜 A Brief History of Gu Shu Pu’er

Pu’er tea has a long and storied past dating back to the Tang and Song Dynasties, with Gu Shu Pu’er especially linked to the ancient Tea Horse Road trade routes. These ancient trees, often growing wild or semi-wild, have deep root systems and mature slowly, contributing to the unique terroir and strength of the tea.

In modern times, Gu Shu Pu’er is one of the most sought-after and collectible types of tea among connoisseurs.

🌱 What is Pu’er Tea?

“Gu Shu” (古树) means ancient tree or old tree in Chinese. These venerable tea trees, some over 200 years old, and a few even nearing a thousand, grow deep in the misty forests of Yunnan Province, China. The leaves harvested from these trees are treasured for their depth, purity, and unique energy (cha qi).

Gu Shu Pu’er is considered a special category of Pu’er tea, made from ancient tea trees, usually at least 200 years old. It can be processed either as raw/uncooked shēng chá (生茶), or ripe/cooked called shòu chá (熟茶). What makes it distinct is not the method of processing, but the age and depth of the trees from which the leaves are harvested, with roots that runs deep into the mountains of Yunnan.

At home, I have a ripe Gu Shu Pu’er, made in 2017, so it has now been aged for 8 years. I have brewed it many times, and it still tastes wonderful. It is rich in aroma, and deep in flavour.    

🫖 What You Will Need

To get the best flavour out of your Pu’er, here are some helpful tools:

  • A ceramic teapot (or ideally a clay teapot)
Tip: Yixing clay teapots are prized for Pu’er teas because their porous clay absorbs the flavour and aroma over time, enhancing each future brew. They also retain heat well, allowing the tea to steep evenly and develop its full characters .
  • A small digital scale (tea leaves are very light and may not register on large kitchen scales)
  • A porcelain or wooden spoon to scoop the leaves
  • Small tea cups (to encourage slow, mindful sipping)
  • An electric kettle with temperature control (helpful for brewing different teas at their ideal temperatures)
  • Gu Shu Pu’er tea cake
  • A Pu’er pick or Pu’er knife. Both are essential tools to safely loosen the tea leaves from cake without crumbling the leaves too much: 
    • Pu’er Pick (茶针, chá zhēn) — a sharp needle-like tool for tightly compressed cakes.
    • Pu’er Knife (茶刀, chá dāo) — a flat blade that pries gently without breaking too many leaves.
A Pu’er Pick (photo by JenniferW)

Ingredients

  • 6-8g of Gu Shu Pu’er
  • Water heated to 98°C (enough to fill your teapot to the brim, or just 150ml)

Gu Shu Pu’er Tea Cake (photo by JenniferW)

🔥 How to Brew ( Hot Method)

Traditionally, Pu’er is brewed in a Yixing clay teapot, but once you use a Yixing teapot for one kind of tea (like oolong), it should not be reused for another. That is because Yixing clay is porous, absorbing flavour over time, and mixing teas can confuse or dull the character of future brews.

Since my Yixing pot is already seasoned for oolong, I now brew this Pu’er in a porcelain teapot, which is non-porous and versatile.

Brewing Guide: Hot Ripe Gu Shu Pu’er Tea (古树普洱茶 gǔ shù pǔ'ěr chá)

  1. Boil water to 98°C.
  2. Wash and warm you teacups.
  3. Weight 6g of tea leaves and place them into your teapot.
  4. Pour hot water into the teapot, filling it just to the brim. Let it sit for 5 seconds, then discard (This quick rinse is called “awakening the leaves”, it removes any dust and opens up the tea for proper brewing).
  5. Refill the teapot with 98°C water.
  6. Cover and steep for 10 seconds on the first brew.
  7. For each subsequent steep, increase steeping time by 10-30 seconds.
  8. You can re-steep the leaves 8 to 10 times or even more.
Tip:  After each steep, if you empty the teapot, leave the lid slightly open. This helps prevent the leaves from becoming bitter.

❄️ Bonus: How to Cold Brew

Don’t throw away your leaves just yet! Used Pu’er leaves are perfect for cold brewing.

Step-by-Step Cold Brew:

  1. Transfer the used tea leaves into a clean jar or cold brew tea bottle.
  2. Fill with room temperature water.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for deeper flavour.
  4. Serve chilled for a refreshing glass of Pu’er.
  5. Cold brew tea is best consumed within 3 days.

Tasting Notes

My Gu Shu Shou Cha  has a deep amber liquor and a smooth, mellow body. The flavour is earthy, with notes of wet forest, aged wood, and sweet dates. There is no bitterness at all, just a round, comforting warmth that lingers softly on the tongue.

There is something grounding and quietly energising about drinking Gu Shu Pu’er, it feels like sipping a little mountain wisdom.

Health Benefits of Pu’er Tea

Gu Shu Pu’er isn’t just delicious, it may offer gentle support for overall wellness:

  • Rich in antioxidants 
  • May improve digestion 
  • Can help lower cholesterol 
  • Supports cardiovascular health
  • Boosts immunity 
  • Encourages gut microbiome balance
  • May support weight regulation 

Recommendations & Reminders

  • Enjoy in moderation. 3-5 cups a day is ideal.
  • Choose authentic, high-quality Gu Shu Pu’er for best results.
  • Drink it pure, to let the tea’s natural essence shine. Avoid sugar, honey, or milk.
  • Use ceramic, porcelain or glass teapot for flexibility.
  • Reserve Yixing teapots for one type of tea only, as their porous clay absorbs flavour deeply.

Final Reflection

I didn’t learn how to brew this tea from a book. In fact, there is hardly one in English that truly captures the depth of Gu Shu Pu’er. But, my daughter and son in-law learned from an old Chinese tea expert, and they passed it on to me.

Now, each time I brew this 8-year-old Gu Shu Pu’er, it feels like a quiet tradition being carried forward. Steeped in memory, respect, and gentle discovery.


Ancient Tree Pu’er Tea (photo by JenniferW)


💌 Enjoyed this recipe?

You can find more comforting recipes and reflections on A Journey with Joy at Substack. Subscribing is free, and you are always welcome.

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