Introduction to the Origins of Northern Guangxi Oil Tea & The Benefits and Drawbacks of Northern Guangxi Oil Tea

Northern Guangxi Oil Tea

　　    The ethnic minorities around Guilin all enjoy making "beaten" oil tea. It is said that Northern Guangxi oil tea was once praised by Emperor Qianlong as "a refreshing soup."

　　 　　　　The term "beating" is used instead of "cooking" across regions, but the flavor of oil tea varies. The general method of making oil tea involves using aged black tea as the main ingredient, stir-frying it in oil until slightly burnt and fragrant, then adding salt and boiling it with water. Most recipes also include ginger for boiling, resulting in a strong, astringent taste with a hint of spice. In the Gongcheng area, ground roasted peanut powder is added, which makes the flavor richer and less astringent. Thanks to perfectly timed preparation, Gongcheng oil tea is regarded as the best among all regional varieties, enjoying fame across Northern Guangxi and throughout Guangxi.

　　 　　　　Drinking oil tea must be accompanied by various snacks, all of which are fried or stir-fried foods. In ethnic minority areas such as the Miao, Yao, and Dong, common sides include stir-fried soybeans, stir-fried peanuts, popped corn, and fried peanuts, along with sticky rice balls or glutinous rice cakes. In urban areas like Gongcheng and Pingle, the sides are more elaborate, often featuring over ten types of deep-fried snacks. When offering oil tea to guests, it’s common to lay out a whole table of snacks, making it look like a full meal. For the Dong people, serving oil tea to guests is a matter of etiquette. The host presents the tea with both hands and offers humble words, and those skilled in singing may even express themselves through song. Guests are expected to finish two bowls to show respect and honor the "good things come in pairs" saying. If they don’t wish to drink more after two bowls, they hand back both bowl and chopsticks. Handing back only the bowl implies they’d like to continue drinking, and the host will happily refill the bowl. The Yao people serve the first and second bowls without chopsticks and add snacks like puffed rice or fried beans into the bowl. Leaving some snacks at the bottom of the bowl after drinking signifies abundance, and chopsticks are only provided with the third bowl—so guests are expected to drink at least three. Drinking only one or two might disappoint the host.

　　 　　　　Drinking oil tea is not limited by season—it’s consumed all year round, morning and night. When guests arrive, it’s served anytime, often more lavishly. (Guilin)

　　The Miao, Yao, and Dong ethnic groups living in Northern Guangxi all have the traditional custom of making oil tea. While the methods vary slightly among the minorities, the basic process is similar: heat an appropriate amount of peanut or tea oil in an iron pot, add tea leaves and stir-fry, then pour in water and continuously pound the mixture while boiling, adding ginger, salt, and sugar. This results in a fragrant pot of oil tea. Among the Yao people, the process begins by steaming sticky rice, drying it, and turning it into "yin rice" (dried sticky rice). Then, tea oil or peanut oil is heated in a pot, and the yin rice is fried into puffed rice. Peanuts, soybeans, and sticky rice fritters are also fried. A handful of raw sticky rice is parched until burnt and stir-fried briefly with tea leaves, then water and ginger slices are added. Using a specialized wooden pounding tool, the mixture is continuously beaten to extract the flavors. After boiling, the tea leaves are filtered out using a tightly woven bamboo strainer and poured into coarse ceramic bowls, topped with a suitable amount of puffed rice, fried peanuts, fried soybeans, and fritters. Guests can customize their bowl with scallions, cilantro (in areas like Guanyang and Pingle, you can also add dried fish, shrimp, rice noodles, or spare ribs), and seasonings like salt and chili, resulting in a vibrant oil tea right before you. The phrase “beating oil tea” means the tea can be pounded two or three times, with the second or third batch considered the most flavorful. “The first cup is bitter, the second a bit astringent, but the third and fourth cups are the best oil tea.” The first bowl is thick and astringent, with a slight sweetness beneath the bitterness. The second bowl is lighter in color, and as you drink, your palate begins to savor the aftertaste. By the third and fourth bowls, the tea is clear and bright, naturally stimulating saliva. Oil tea helps ward off the cold and prevent illness, refreshes the mind, and shows the host’s hospitality. It can also be eaten with various rice cakes, and in some places (like Guanyang and Pingle), it can even serve as a main meal—truly a premium beverage for hosting guests at home. “Bowl after bowl, the maiden’s affection runs deep.” Drinking oil tea can be addictive—just don’t end up drunk on tea... When guests arrive from afar, the hospitable people of Gongcheng always make a pot of oil tea to welcome them. If you have the chance to visit a Yao household in Gongcheng, go and enjoy oil tea in the warm company of your Yao hosts. Sit by the pot, sip the tea slowly, chat leisurely, and let the poetic charm of the countryside slowly drift into this fragrant bowl of oil tea...

　　 Nowadays, oil tea made by Guilin’s ethnic minorities has entered the food market, becoming another choice for food lovers. The people of Guilin have even “invented” various “oil tea hot pots” centered around oil tea, such as oil tea fish, oil tea chicken, and more.