Linwu Oil Tea

Linwu Oil Tea

　　Linwu Oil Tea

　　The people of Linwu in Hunan have a special fondness for oil tea. Some have it with all three meals of the day, and guests are often warmly treated to it — usually drinking up to three big bowls, reminiscent of the saying “Three bowls and you can’t cross the ridge,” encapsulated in the phrase “One bowl to loosen, two bowls to bond, three bowls to reveal true feelings.”

　　Once made, Linwu Oil Tea takes on a brownish-yellow hue, darker than regular tea. Making the tea involves careful selection of ingredients. The tea leaves used (locals prefer wild Dongshan Mist Tea from Linwu) are not tender leaves but are dried using Spatholobus stems after picking. Ginger is used generously for its pungent and dispersing properties that help drive away cold and wind.

　　General preparation method: Tea leaves are mixed with crushed ginger and an appropriate amount of salt, then stir-fried in a pan. While frying, the mixture is patted to help release the tea’s gelatinous essence and the ginger’s rich juices. When white smoke rises from the pan, boiling water is poured in, the lid is placed on, and the mixture is simmered briefly. Then, a suitable amount of cooking oil is added. Based on personal taste, crispy fried corn kernels, puffed glutinous rice, peanuts, and other toppings are added to the bowl. This creates a texture experience combining soft, hard, crispy, and fragrant elements. The aroma is richly tea-scented, and the taste offers a blend of sweet, spicy, bitter, astringent, and salty flavors that invigorate the senses. The lingering aftertaste remains on the tongue for days.

　　Linwu is located at the northern foot of the Nanling Mountain Range, surrounded by the Qitian Mountains and encircled by hills, where the climate is rather damp and cold. The traditional oil tea helps dispel miasma, prevent illness, ward off cold and dampness, and plays a role in disease prevention and health enhancement.

　　Linwu Oil Tea: Drinking it in spring refreshes the mind, in summer strengthens the spleen and removes dampness, in autumn beautifies and preserves the complexion, and in winter warms the body, wards off wind, promotes longevity.