Bought 3 batches of Pu Er Tea from Beijing, Chengdu and Qunming in that sequence.
Prices went down from one stop to the other, finally cheapest at where they grow in Qunimg.
My understanding is the tea are from old tea trees and only the tea BUD not the leaves or stem were put in. As I can now see the sediments (tea "leaves") are tiny. Taste is a little like medicine to me.
Supposedly it is good for Emperor and Tibet people whose diet is full of meat due to the cold and high attitude not suitable to grow vegetable (but that was before greenhouses were used lately). The Tibet will have issue with their food full of meat if it is not for the TEA.
So do people buy Pu Er for taste or health reason? That is the question for you connoisseurs