San Paotai Covered Bowl Tea

San Paotai Covered Bowl Tea

　　San Paotai Covered Bowl Tea

　　The Dongxiang people are passionate about tea drinking, paying meticulous attention to the selection of tea sets, tea leaves, and ingredients. The tea set must be a “San Paotai” — as the name suggests, it consists of three tiers: a lid, a cup, and a saucer. The choice of tea leaves is also very particular, with Yunnan Chunjian tea and Tuocha being considered the finest. When brewing, the tea leaves are placed in the cup of the San Paotai, and it is preferred to use freshly boiled “peony blossom” water. Then, gently scrape the surface from front to back and from shallow to deep with the lid, allowing the tea leaves to slowly settle at the bottom of the bowl. At this point, the rich aroma of the tea wafts over, tempting you to take a sip. First, hold the base of the bowl with your left hand, then use your right thumb, index, and middle fingers to pinch the lid in a lotus shape, tilting it slightly to skim the surface of the tea. The result is a clear, jade-green brew with rising steam — sip slowly, and the pure, intense fragrance of the tea permeates your entire being, making it a true delight.

　　If distinguished guests visit, it is customary to serve Sanxiang Tea, Wuxiang Tea, or Babao Tea to show respect and hospitality. In addition to premium tea leaves, ingredients such as rock sugar, longan, red dates, dried apricots, goji berries, raisins, and figs are added. The taste is a blend of bitterness with sweetness and sourness — a flavor that cannot be matched by today’s wide variety of modern beverages. Tea contains caffeine, theophylline, tannic acid, volatile oils, and more, which stimulate the brain and heart. It not only quenches thirst and cools the body, strengthens the heart and promotes urination, but also relaxes muscles, improves circulation, and aids digestion. This is one reason why many Dongxiang elders enjoy long lives — their habit of drinking tea and “scraping the bowl” plays a role. Dongxiang elders rise at dawn, and after bathing and prayers, they enjoy a morning cup of tea. They also drink tea with both lunch and dinner.

　　The tea-drinking custom of the Dongxiang people is closely related to their living environment. During the Ming Dynasty, the tea-horse trade flourished in the Hezhou area, which helped foster the Dongxiang people's tea-drinking habits. Over time, tea became an indispensable beverage for the Dongxiang people, eventually giving rise to a unique tea culture.