Gongcheng, Guangxi: An Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience of a Bowl of Oil Tea

Nanning, September 19 (Xinhua) -- "One cup of bitter, two cups of astringent, three cups of four cups of good oil tea." Gongcheng oil tea spray incense, come back three bowls a day, and there are tea leaves and ginger..." Lu Zhonglan, who was dressed in traditional Yao costumes, beat the tea leaves in an iron pot with a wooden mallet in his hand, while humming the local oil tea song, the whole oil tea house overflowed with tea aroma.

Lu Zhonglan, a 56-year-old native of Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County, Guangxi, has been in the oil tea industry for more than 30 years. "Gongcheng people have the habit of drinking oil tea, and drinking a bowl of oil tea is the beginning of the day." Lu Zhonglan said.

Gongcheng oil tea is the essence of Gongcheng Yao food culture and an important local cultural symbol. Lu Zhonglan introduced that there are many processes for making oil tea, "Pounding is the soul of oil tea, and the oil tea that is beaten out is more fragrant." "After the oil tea comes out of the pot, it is usually eaten with fried rice, ma dan fruit, coriander, chives and peanut rice.

In 2008, "Gongcheng Oil Tea" was included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In 2019, "Gongcheng Oil Tea" won the Guinness World Records certification for 2019 people playing oil tea at the same time. Nowadays, more and more people come to the oil tea house to visit the oil tea.

Ou Xinjie, owner of the oil tea house, said that the sales of oil tea are getting better and better, and more than 1,000 people come to the store every day to drink oil tea, "The next step is that we are ready to make bagged oil tea and sell it through e-commerce channels." ”

In 2019, gongcheng county's camellia oleifera industry achieved sales revenue of 520 million yuan, driving more than 3,400 people to work. The small oil tea has promoted the development of local cultural tourism.

Hundred tables of oil tea banquet, thousands of people oil tea dance... Recently, the 10th Gongcheng Oil Tea Cultural Festival was held in Gongcheng Oil Tea Town.

"This is my first time drinking oil tea, the first bowl is a bit bitter, drink a few more bowls to adapt." Wang Yuan, a tourist from Sichuan, said that oil tea is not only a delicacy, but also a cultural carrier.