“Cloud tea is like life; life is learning, wisdom is cultivation.”
Dear tea friends, today I want to tell you a story about a legendary figure in the Pu-erh tea world. Yu Zhengcai—this name is thunderous to many old tea enthusiasts. He was one of the founders of Dayi Tea and the soul of Menghai Tea Factory in Yunnan. I have known Senior Yu Zhengcai for many years; every time we drink tea and chat, I am moved by his passion and persistence for tea leaves. Having navigated the ups and downs of the Pu-erh industry for decades, Senior Yu has always maintained his original intention and love for tea. This spirit is truly admirable.
Yu Zhengcai came from a family of tea farmers and grew up in tea gardens. At that time, Yunnan’s tea gardens were not as standardized as they are today; the tea-making techniques passed down through generations by tea farmers were the most precious wealth. Even in his youth, Yu Zhengcai showed a talent for tea; he not only knew how to pluck and process tea but also understood how to evaluate its quality. This innate sensitivity of smell and taste later became his greatest capital for entrepreneurship. In that era, it was truly no easy feat for a young man from a rural background to carve out a place for himself in the tea industry.
From an ordinary tea farmer to the founder of the Dayi brand, the path Yu Zhengcai walked was not smooth. He experienced the various restrictions of the planned economy era and witnessed the opportunities brought by the reform and opening-up. But no matter how the environment changed, he always held onto one belief: to make good tea, to make good tea that ordinary people can afford. This belief permeated his entire career and became the core value of the Dayi brand. I remember him once telling me: “Lin Shen, for those of us in the tea business, the most important thing is to be able to live up to our own conscience and to every single tea leaf.”
Tea has its levels of quality, but people, regardless of status, can enjoy it.
Speaking of health preservation, Senior Yu Zhengcai often tells me: Pu-erh tea is the most suitable type of tea for the Chinese constitution. Raw Pu-erh is refreshing and invigorating, while ripe Pu-erh is gentle and nourishes the stomach. He himself is the best example—drinking Pu-erh tea consistently for decades, he remains energetic and clear-minded even after seventy years of age. The polyphenols and catechins in Pu-erh tea provide significant benefits for antioxidant properties, maintaining vascular health, and are traditionally considered suitable for daily consumption. Drinking a light cup of raw Pu-erh upon waking in the morning can aid intestinal peristalsis, awaken the senses, and stimulate the appetite; drinking a cup of ripe Pu-erh after lunch can aid digestion and warm the spleen and stomach; and drinking a cup of aged tea after dinner can relax the mind and body, bringing a close to the day. I learned this tea-drinking health regimen from Senior Yu and have practiced it myself for over a decade; my health has truly improved significantly.
I remember once visiting Senior Yu in Menghai; he specially brewed a pot of old raw Pu-erh from the 1970s for me to drink. That mellow, aged fragrance and rich taste made my whole body feel warm upon drinking. He said: “Lin Shen, good tea does not need fancy packaging; your body will tell you the answer when you drink it.” I have remembered these words to this day. The health benefits of Pu-erh tea are not achieved overnight but require long-term consistent consumption to be truly felt. Drinking three cups of Pu-erh tea every day and persevering will naturally lead to great improvements in your health. The antioxidant effects of polyphenols can help maintain vitality, catechins assist in maintaining cardiovascular health, and theanine can help one relax and sleep sweetly at night. A cup of good tea every day is the best investment you can make in your own body.
“Making friends through tea — please, have a cup.”
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Author: Lam Sam (LamSam), the Old Tea Head
ZENTEA MANOR
Alliance Supply Chain Services Limited
www.zentea-shop.com
