More Than Tea: What Pu’er Reveals About China, Taste and Obsession: Eugene Chew

Tea looks simple: leaves, hot water, drink.

But behind Chinese tea sits a world of ancient trees, remote mountains, craftsmanship, collectors, and extraordinary prices.

Eugene Chew, founder of Tea Urchin, joins ShanghaiZhan to explain how a chance encounter with pu’er in Shanghai became a decade-long obsession that took him deep into Yunnan.

We explore what separates cheap tea from expensive tea, why old-tree pu’er commands such high prices, how terroir and aging shape flavor, and whether beginners can really taste the difference. Eugene also shares what tea taught him about rural China, mindfulness, and developing a palate.