Bai Three-Course Tea
The Bai people are very particular about tea drinking, with different customs for different occasions. Personal tea is often "Thunder Tea," weddings feature Two-Course Tea, and guests are usually served Three-Course Tea. The first course is bitter tea, the second is sweet tea, and the third is reflective tea.
Miao Vegetable-Wrapped Tea
In northeastern Yunnan, the Miao people wrap tea in fresh leaves and bury it in hot ashes by the hearth. Once the leaves dry, they remove them and steep the tea in water, releasing a unique vegetable-tea aroma. This drink not only quenches thirst but also relieves fatigue.
De'ang and Jingpo Pickled Tea
The De'ang people in Dehong still preserve the ancient practice of treating tea as a vegetable. Pickled tea is made during the rainy season by packing fresh leaves into a clay jar and pressing them under a heavy lid. After months, the tea is mixed with spices and eaten as a dish. Some use pottery jars, adding chili and salt before fermenting for months, creating a savory "pickled tea" that can be stir-fried with garlic or other ingredients.
Jinuo Cold-Mixed Tea
The Jinuo people in Jinghong County, Xishuangbanna, still prepare tea as a cold salad—a rare culinary tradition. Fresh tea leaves are kneaded soft, soaked in spring water, and mixed with ingredients like yellow fruit leaves, sour bamboo shoots, sour ants, garlic, chili, and salt, creating their beloved "Labipipi" or cold-mixed tea.
Bulang Sour Tea
The Bulang people in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, preserve sour tea as a delicacy. Fresh leaves are boiled, left to ferment in the shade for days, then packed into bamboo tubes and buried for over a month. The sour tea is chewed and swallowed, aiding digestion and quenching thirst, and is often shared as a gift.
Hani Medicinal Brew
Pu'er tea has notable health benefits. The Hani people in Nannuo Mountain, Menghai County, still brew strong Pu'er tea to treat bacterial dysentery.
Yi Aged Tea
The Yi subgroup, the Puman, were among the first to discover and use tea. During harvest seasons, they gather wild tea for rituals and believe aged tea can heal illnesses.
Naxi "Dragon-Tiger Fight"
"Dragon-Tiger Fight" ("Ajilekao" in Naxi) is a mystical tea ritual. Tea is roasted in a clay pot until golden, then boiled into a strong decoction. A small amount of liquor is poured into a cup, and the tea is added, creating a loud, auspicious sound. Sometimes, a chili is added. This brew is a Naxi remedy for colds—drinking it induces sweating and speeds recovery.
Lahu Roasted Tea
Roasted tea ("Lazhaduo" in Lahu) involves charring tea shoots over an open flame before boiling them. The tea is slightly bitter and sour, aiding digestion and quenching thirst.
Today, we’ve introduced seven unique teas. How many have you tried? Most have only tasted the Bai Three-Course Tea!