Two and a half kilos of Pu'er Tea, sent to the emperor in Beijing as a tribute 150 years ago, was taken from the Forbidden City on Monday, March 19, 2007. It will be returned to its home in Pu'er city, in China's southwestern Yunnan province. [Photo: qianlong.com]

Two and a half kilos of Pu'er Tea, which was sent to the emperor in Beijing as a tribute 150 years ago, is on its way back home to Pu'er city, in China's southwestern Yunnan province.

The tea was found in the storage house of the Forbidden City in Beijing in the 1960s. In fact, when archaeologists checked the storage house, only the Pu'er Tea had been well-preserved with its original bright color and luster, while other tea varieties had all gone bad.

Leaving the Forbidden City on Monday, the tea will be displayed in an exhibit entitled "Hundred-year Tribute Tea Returns Home, Good Expectations for Pu'er," sponsored by the Pu'er city government, the Palace Museum and Beijing Xuanwu District government to promote Pu'er tribute tea to more consumers both at home and abroad.

It will reach Pu'er city on April 8 via Shanghai and Guangzhou after being put on display for four days in Beijing. Grand celebrations will be held in all the cities along the route.

Related departments have purchased insurance worth 20 million yuan or 2.6 million US dollars for the tribute tea.

The Pu'er city government, National Palace Museum and Beijing Xuanwu District government have sponsored the exhibition tour to promote Pu'er tea to more consumers both at home and abroad. [Photo: qianlong.com]

Editor: Yan