Pu'er is a post-fermented tea. It is distinguished by a specific production technology: the collected leaves, processed to the level of green tea, undergo a microbial fermentation procedure - natural or artificial (accelerated) aging.

Traditionally, pu'er is obtained as a result of maturing raw máochá (毛茶). Depending on the technology, this process takes several days. Then the resulting product can be supplied to the market under the name "mao-cha" or undergo further maturation. In the second case, it is pressed into molds and stored in the required conditions. The maturation time can vary from months to decades. Tea that has undergone the maturation stage is called "sheng pu'er", shēngchá (生茶).

In 1973, a new process of repeatedly accelerated fermentation, wòduī (渥堆), began to be used. Soon, the Menghai Tea Factory Company adopted this technology and began producing a new type of tea, "shu pu'er", shúchá (熟茶). It also began to be sold in both pressed and loose tea.