Abstract: From Qing Dynasty, the tea of Yunnan, represented by Pu'er tea, was popular and loved by the royalty, the Tibetans and the people domestic and abroad. The tea economy had developed rapidly in Yunnan province. Correspondingly, the tea business mode had changed in Yunnan. There were mainly three modes of business: private mode monitored by the state, state-run mode, and the state-run mode intervened by English and French colonialists. The private mode monitored by the state was the main business mode in Qing Dynasty: the tea grower was responsible to the production and primary processing of tea; the tea merchant was in charge of sales, and the government levied a tax on tea merchants. This mode was a common result by the development of commodity economy and tea economy in Yunnan. And the rise of the tea merchant was the main primary source of power. In addition, the relevant incentive policies issued by the government and the expansion of overseas market were also vital to the development of tea economy in Qing dynasty.

Key words: Qing Dynasty, tea of Yunnan province, business mode