Ping Le Shui Shang You Cha (Ping Le Waterborne Oil Tea)

Ping Le Shui Shang You Cha

　　    Ping Le Shui Shang You Cha is widely distributed and made in numerous ways. Since its inception, though there have been highly skilled figures in various dynasties, they were not necessarily in a direct line of inheritance. The inheritance of Ping Le Shui Shang You Cha is divided between boat dwellers and land dwellers. These two forms existed separately — in the old days, both boat dwellers and land dwellers primarily consumed You Cha as a staple meal, such as among the Yao, Han, and boat-dwelling communities, all of whom passed down the craft through generations.

　　    Nowadays, both boat families and land households use their generations-old skills to run shops while also taking on apprentices. The tradition has spread throughout Ping Le and surrounding areas. It has become customary for every household and individual to drink You Cha, even reaching the point where daily life feels incomplete without “tea.”

　　    Waterborne You Cha is a microcosm of the daily life of river people, with its unique characteristics representing the dietary culture of the boat-dwelling community and serving as an important reference for understanding social development. As modern boat dwellers’ dietary customs have largely been assimilated by those on land, very few boat families still make authentic Shui Shang You Cha. The unique food culture of the boat people is rapidly disappearing. Therefore, protecting the dietary culture of the boat people and organically integrating this traditional cultural resource with modern tourism can help make Ping Le’s distinctive cuisine stand out.

　　    Legends and Origins

　　    In the year 621 AD, Yao people in southern China rebelled against the imperial court. Emperor Gaozu of Tang dispatched General Li Jing to lead an army to quell the unrest. While passing through Zhaozhou (now known as Ping Le County), the troops contracted influenza, and no remedies seemed to work. Later, a ship’s carpenter suggested brewing a large pot of soup using special methods with old ginger and tea leaves. After drinking it, the soldiers broke into heavy sweats. After multiple doses, their conditions improved significantly. General Li Jing then used both benevolence and authority to quickly pacify the rebellion, earning the support of the local populace. The people of Ping Le, grateful for his merits, cast a golden statue of him, enshrined it at Yinshan Temple, and renamed it the Linggong Temple for public veneration.

　　    From then on, You Cha gradually spread across Ping Le. Over the years, improvements were made by adding ingredients like peanuts and garlic, which enhanced its flavor, improved its taste, and expanded its health benefits.

　　    Ingredients and Benefits

　　    Ping Le You Cha is primarily made from green tea, ginger, garlic, peanuts, and other ingredients using special preparation methods, giving it excellent health-promoting properties.

　　    The Promotion of You Cha

　　    You Cha is deeply loved by the people in northern Guangxi, where many drink it daily. Within Ping Le County, there are now hundreds of You Cha shops of varying sizes. Around noon each day, these shops are almost always full. When Ping Le residents hold celebratory banquets, they must serve You Cha to all guests at the lunch banquet. The dish has also spread widely across China.

　　    Ping Le You Cha has now been successfully listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Guangxi. Ping Le Shui Shang You Cha is a key protected item of Guangxi’s cultural heritage. Ping Le Jinzhao Food Factory, as the representative inheritor of Ping Le Shui Shang You Cha, has, after years of effort, successfully developed concentrated You Cha and has represented Ping Le County in numerous gourmet exhibitions.