Luhe Lei Cha

Luhe Lei Cha

Legend has it that in the height of summer during the 23rd year of the Jianwu era (47 AD), General Ma Yuan led his troops to garrison at Peach Blossom Spring. Unexpectedly, many soldiers fell ill overnight. As Ma Yuan lay sick in a stone chamber listening to his subordinates report on the war situation, he suddenly heard that local people had offered him a medicinal soup. Though skeptical due to his illness, he drank a large bowl. He found the aroma deeply refreshing and the taste gradually improving, so he drank three big bowls in a row. Soon he broke into a profuse sweat, and with slight movement of his limbs, he miraculously managed to stand up. The long-accumulated pain in his body seemed to vanish along with the sweat. His entire army followed suit, the epidemic was greatly suppressed, morale soared, and they went on to achieve a grand victory. Some versions of this legend involve Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, or Zhang Fei, but the most frequently mentioned figures are Sima Cuo and Ma Yuan. Only the story of Ma Yuan is supported by historical records: in 280 BC, the great general of the Qin state, Sima Cuo, stationed his troops south of the Yuan River. He built a fortress in the Nanyang area near Changmaoling, adjacent to Peach Blossom Spring, marking the beginning of interactions among the people of Sichuan, Guizhou, and Hunan. The folk version of this precursor to Lei Cha — known as "bitter soup" — has been passed down through generations. The "Tao Hua Yuan County Annals," compiled during the Kangxi period, states: "Ma Yuan campaigned against the barbarians of the Five Streams... His troops marched in discipline, not even startling chickens or dogs." Thus, “Ma Yuan carved a stone chamber to shelter the people, and the locals offered Lei Cha in gratitude.”　　

Luhe Lei Cha is the crystallization of the inheritance and development of Hakka Lei Cha. It is a dietary creation of the early Hakka settlers in Luhe as they adapted to their natural environment. The tools used to make Luhe Lei Cha include a Lei Cha bowl and a Lei Cha pestle. Ingredients include green tea, sesame seeds, and roasted peanuts. To prepare it, tea leaves and sesame are first placed in the bowl and ground with the pestle, then peanuts are added along with a small amount of cold water, and the grinding continues until a paste-like tea “dough,” known as “Lei Cha paste,” is formed. Then boiling water is poured in and stirred until it’s ready to drink. It is typically served with popcorn, beans, and leafy greens.

　　Another type of Lei Cha made with wild vegetables and medicinal herbs is called “You Cha” or “raw tea.” Its main ingredients include fresh mugwort leaves, mint leaves, raw tea leaves, tender maple sprouts, perilla leaves, basil, fragrant perilla, chicken-foot thorn, rose sprouts, and coriander. Lei Cha helps quench thirst, prevent wind-cold, stimulate appetite, strengthen the spleen, clear heat and toxins, and promote longevity. In 2011, it was included in the Guangdong Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection List.

　　The making of Hakka Lei Cha is quite intricate, but Hakka women are highly skilled in this art. Every Hakka household owns a set of Lei Cha tools — a Lei bowl and a Lei pestle. The Lei bowl is a round pottery bowl about 1.5 Chinese feet in diameter, though smaller 1-foot versions also exist. Its inner surface features staggered spiral patterns, while its exterior combines rustic charm with elegance. The Lei pestle is around 2–3 feet long and is usually made from yuan camphor wood, mountain cinnamon, or oil-tea tree — other woods are not suitable as they can impart an unpleasant taste to the tea. When making Lei Cha, first select high-quality tea leaves along with roasted sesame seeds and slowly grind them into powder in the bowl. Then add roasted peanuts and a bit of water, and rhythmically rotate the pestle until it becomes a paste. Add an appropriate amount of salt, then pour in boiling water along with a few mint leaves to create a fragrant bowl of Lei Cha. The aroma is enticing; one sip brings a mouthful of freshness, leaves a lingering fragrance, refreshes the spirit, invigorates the whole body, and offers endless flavor upon further tasting.

　　Lei Cha can be enjoyed plain or mixed with fried rice. During the Lunar New Year, Hakka people serve “rice-crumb tea” to guests. Even more uniquely, the daily midday meal for Hakka families — known as “rice tea” — involves cooking rice until soft, then pouring it along with the cooking water into pre-ground tea paste. After stirring well, vegetables such as Chinese broccoli, shrimp, squid, and mushrooms are stir-fried into it, creating a premium version of Hakka rice tea.

　　Lei Cha has multiple uses. For example, adding a little pepper gives it the effect of warming the middle and dispelling cold, which is especially effective for those with cold stomachs or frequent nighttime urination.

　　To this day, serving Lei Cha to guests remains the most ceremonious form of hospitality for the people of Luhe and is a traditional custom passed down through the ages. Lei Cha has become an indispensable beverage in Hakka social gatherings.