Nanhua Hecang Spouted Bowl Tea

Nanhua Hecang Spouted Bowl Tea

　　In the homes of the Yi people in Nanhua County, the hearth in the main room burns year-round. A spouted tea bowl is always kept warming by the hearth, emitting the fragrance of tea. Among locals, elderly folks particularly enjoy drinking spouted bowl tea. The tea leaves are usually coarse, locally produced varieties—some are even wild teas picked from the mountains. A generous handful is used each time, resulting in a strong, bitter flavor.

　　Spouted bowl tea naturally centers around the tea bowl. About 10 kilometers south of Nanhua County town lies Xuyingba, a small village nestled against the mountains and by the river, called Hecang. Because the unglazed pottery ware made here was once famous far and wide, elders often refer to this village as the “Pottery Kiln Village.” According to the Place Names of Nanhua County, Yunnan Province, Hecang got its name because “there is a small river in front of the village, and ancient residents built kilns to produce pottery here.” The craft of making pottery in Hecang dates back to the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty. It’s said that the local pottery techniques were brought by the large influx of Han migrants into Yunnan during the Ming period. Hecang pottery includes seven types with dozens of specifications: jars, vats, bowls, pots, basins, teapots, and cups. Products were sold not only across the province but also exported to Myanmar, Thailand, and other regions. Particularly notable are the tea bowls produced in Hecang. In rural central Yunnan in the old days, nearly every household owned one. Using such a bowl to brew tea is what locals call spouted bowl tea. This tea tradition once traveled far along the Ancient Tea Horse Road.

　　A riddle popular among the people of Nanhua goes: “There's a little turtle at home; when guests arrive, it dives into the ash. Red stir-fry perfumes the air, a thunderous sound urges the pour—offered to guests, praised as fine.” This describes that very ancient tea custom.

　　Brewing spouted bowl tea emphasizes the art of “roasting.” First, the tea leaves are roasted in the bowl until fragrant. Roasting tea requires precise heat control—use low flame, constantly shaking the bowl. The faster the shaking, the better. Roasting a good pot of tea often involves more than a hundred shakes, which is why it's also called “Hundred-Shake Tea.” Before roasting, boil a kettle of water and keep it warm by the hearth. When the tea leaves in the bowl turn slightly yellow and exude a rich aroma, quickly pour in boiling water. The first pour should not be too much—just halfway up the bowl—otherwise it will overflow. Once the tea leaves have rolled and steeped in the bowl, add more water and skim off the foam, then it’s ready to enjoy. The first brew is strong, bitter, and astringent—difficult for the uninitiated to swallow. But Yi elders who’ve drunk spouted bowl tea their whole lives will start their day by roasting a strong brew and drinking it down, feeling refreshed all day long. The second and third brews are fragrant, mildly bitter, and cool in taste—the best of the lot. By the fourth and fifth brews, the tea must be simmered like medicine—bitter but with a lingering sweetness.

　　Spouted bowl tea has another nickname: “Thunder Tea.” That’s because when boiling water is poured into the tea bowl, it makes a loud rumbling sound, and steam shoots upward as if thunder is cracking during a rainstorm—hence the name “Thunder Tea.” If the heat and timing aren’t just right, and the water makes little or no noise upon pouring, it’s called “Mute Tea,” which is generally considered inauspicious when serving guests.

　　In the past, in local rural areas, spouted bowl tea could even be used medicinally. For colds, fevers, or sore throats, a piece of black well salt could be heated red-hot over charcoal, then added to the tea—that’s called Salt Tea, and it tastes extraordinarily bitter and salty. But if you let the tea linger in your mouth a moment before slowly swallowing, and repeat a few times, the symptoms can ease. If someone in the household had diarrhea, parched glutinous rice could be stir-fried until burnt and added to the tea—this is called Burnt Rice Tea, effective for diarrhea, indigestion, and food stagnation. Adding some white liquor and brown sugar could further aid in treating acute or chronic intestinal infections such as red or white dysentery.

　　Source: Office of the People’s Government of Nanhua County