In Chinese thought, one doesn't drink the same tea in summer and winter. It's not a matter of personal taste; it's a matter of balance. Traditional Chinese medicine classifies every food, every drink, every plant according to its nature, tropism, and action profile: hot, cool, warm, or neutral, tonifying, dispersing, acting on the stomach or the head. Tea is no exception to this framework. And Pu'er, depending on whether it is raw or fermented, does not have the same nature.
Hot and Cold: The Chinese Framework
Chinese medicine classifies foods according to five natures—cold, cool, neutral, warm, hot—which do not describe physical temperature but rather the effect produced in the body after consumption. A very hot green tea, in this logic, remains a cool nature tea: even when drunk scalding hot, it produces an internal cooling sensation a few minutes after ingestion. This is a subtle distinction, but it is at the heart of the Chinese approach to tea.
The degree of oxidation and fermentation largely determines a tea's nature. The less it is processed, the cooler it is. The more it is oxidized, fermented, or roasted, the warmer its nature. This is a continuous gradient, from green tea (the coolest) to fermented Pu'er (one of the warmest). To better understand these transformations, our article on the stages of Pu'er production details the process.
The Two Natures of Pu'er
This is where Pu'er stands out from all other teas: it offers both registers on its own.
Young Raw Pu'er (sheng)
Nature cool to warm
Cools the inside
Acts more on body energy
Prefer in spring and summer
Fermented Pu'er (shou)
Nature warm
Warms the inside
Acts more on digestion
Prefer in autumn and winter
Young raw Pu'er is traditionally considered cool in nature. Lively, floral, sometimes astringent, it produces a refreshing effect in the body suitable for warm seasons and energetic constitutions. This is why it is credited with the power to awaken and clear the mind. Tradition associates it with spring and summer, seasons when the body seeks to release accumulated heat. But it is inherently warmer than green tea, for example.
Fermented Pu'er, on the other hand, is traditionally classified among teas of a warm nature. Its long fermentation deeply transforms the leaf and, in Chinese logic, gives it a warming and soothing quality. It is the tea for autumn and winter, for rich meals, long evenings, moments when the body needs internal warmth, with a particular action on digestion.
What about aged raw Pu'er? With age, its coolness softens. A twenty or thirty-year-old sheng gradually loses its cool nature and approaches, in the Chinese framework, the nature of a warm, mellow, soothing fermented tea. Time does a similar job to fermentation, but more slowly. We detail this transformation in our article dedicated to the aging of Pu'er.
Season by Season
Spring
The body emerges from winter, energy rises. Chinese tradition associates spring with the liver and the Wood element—a season of renewal and movement. A young raw Pu'er, with its vitality and freshness, accompanies this rising energy well. It is also the season for the new harvest in the mountains of Yunnan—the first spring buds, the most concentrated of the year.
Summer
Heat, humidity, thirst. The body seeks to cool down. Raw Pu'er remains the natural companion for this season; its cool nature balances the ambient heat. It can also be drunk as a cold infusion, left in the refrigerator overnight—a contemporary use that tradition did not foresee, but which works well.
Autumn
The transition to cold. Chinese tradition associates autumn with the lungs and the Metal element—a season of gathering, where the body begins to turn inward. Fermented Pu'er enters the scene, with its roundness and gentle warmth. This is also when aged raw Pu'er finds its best expression, transformed enough to warm, yet complex enough to surprise.
Winter
Cold, intimacy, slowing down. Tradition associates winter with the kidneys and the Water element. Fermented Pu'er is in its element here: its warm nature, its density, its velvety roundness accompany the body in its quest for inner warmth. This is the season when the thickest, densest, oldest fermented Pu'ers fully deploy their depth. To get the best out of these winter sessions, the quality of the water matters as much as the choice of tea.
Beyond Seasons: Listening to the Moment
The seasonal framework is a guide, not an obligation. In Chinese practice, one also chooses tea according to the time of day, the meal just eaten, and one's general state. After a rich and fatty meal, a fermented Pu'er, even in the middle of summer, will be more suitable than a raw one. On a stifling day, even in winter, a young sheng will be welcome.
This is one of the most beautiful ideas of Chinese thought applied to tea: drinking is not just satisfying a thirst; it is harmonizing what one drinks with the present moment—with the season, the hour, the mood, the body. And Pu'er, because it exists in both cool and warm versions, is perhaps the tea that best allows for this attunement. The Gongfu Cha method pushes this attention to its finest point.
Frequently Asked Questions
When to drink Pu'er during the day?
Fermented Pu'er (shou), which contains very little to no caffeine, can be drunk from morning to evening, and especially after meals. Young raw Pu'er (sheng), which is more stimulating, is better suited for morning or daytime. In the evening, opt for a shou or an aged sheng, which are calmer and won't interfere with sleep.
Can Pu'er be drunk during pregnancy or illness?
During pregnancy, breastfeeding, or illness, caution is advised with any beverage containing caffeine or theine. Fermented Pu'er contains little, but we do not provide medical advice: your doctor or midwife, who knows your situation, is the right person to consult. Follow their advice above all.
Can raw Pu'er be drunk in winter?
Yes, it's possible. The seasonal guide is a reference, not a strict rule. Aged raw Pu'er, whose nature has softened over time, is well suited for colder months. And even a young sheng can be drunk in winter if you find it pleasant; the main thing is to listen to your feelings.
Is fermented Pu'er too warming for summer?
Not necessarily. After a heavy meal, fermented tea remains a judicious choice regardless of the season. Chinese tradition tends to advise against it for already "warm" constitutions in mid-summer, but it is not strictly forbidden. The right tea is the one that suits you at the moment.
Is there a Pu'er suitable for all seasons?
Aged raw Pu'er (ten years and older) approaches a balance between coolness and warmth. In the Chinese framework, its nature has become warm—neither too hot nor too cool—making it a versatile companion year-round.
