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Research on the Origin and Evolution of the Tea Eating Culture of Ethnic Minorities in the Three-Gorges Area of China

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Research on the Origin and Evolution of the Tea Eating Culture of Ethnic Minorities in the Three-Gorges Area of China Research on the origin and evolution of the tea eating culture ofethnic minorities in the three-gorges area ofChina. Jiashun Gong1,Rongbo Xu2,Dongmei Qjl and Qinjin Liu1 1:Tea Science Institute ofSouthwest Agricultural University,Beibei,Chongqing,400716,P.R.China 2: Wha sha teas Trading,646B Upper Serangoon Road,Singapore Summary The Three-Gorges area, as mentioned in a famous Chinese classic work in Tang Dynasty, refers to the present mountainous areas of Dabashan, Wulingshan and Daloushan. It is one of the important regions in southwestern China where ancient trees oftea species (Camellia sinensis) are discovered and represents the native place ofthe Chinese tea-drinking culture. On-the-spot investigations and documentation study ofthe ancient tea trees, unearthed tea-related relics (including tea sets), and the history of tea drinking and the present tea-eating customs of the local ethnic groups have cast a new light on the origin and evolution of the tea-eating customs of the ethnic groups there, traced the development of the tea-eating customs of the ancient Ba people to the current tea customs ofthe local ethnic groups, and revealed their relationship with the tea-drinking culture of the Hans. Investigations of the ingredients of Dayou Cha (or fried tea) in the Three-Gorges area and its preparation methods and analysis of its main nutritional and functional components were made to lay a scientific foundation for the commercialization of"tea foods". Key words The Three-Gorges area, Ethnic group, Tea-eating culture, Origin and evolution, Dayou Cha (fried tea) Introduction The southwestern region of China is the native place of tea (Camellia sinensis), and its eastern border, called "Bashan Xiachuan"(now it refers to the Three-Gorges area) in Tea Classics, represents one of the oldest tea-producing areas in China and the original place of tea-drinking culture in ancient China. The utilization of tea dates back to Western Zhou Dynasty (a. 1066--771 B.C. ). (Chang Qu ,347 A.D; Chen Zongmao. 1992) The. ethnic groups of Miao, Tong, Yao and Tujia living in this region have maintained similar customs of inhabiting the river banks, engaging in farmmg and fishing and cooking tea as food. They share the custom ofhaving Youcha (fried tea) soup, which is an important component of Chinese tea­ drinking custom. Up to now, the historical origin of tea-eating custom of the national minorities living in the Three-Gorges area and its relationship witli the tea-drinking custom ofthe Hans are little documented. Since the Three-Gorges area is one of the oldest tea-producmg areas, it is naturally of significance to investigate, sort out and explore the historical facts and folkways relevant to the development of tea production and the evolved tea culture among the local ethnic groups, to find out the origin oftheir unique customs of eating (rather than drinking) tea like "Dayou Cha (fried tea)" and "Lei Cha (ground tea)", Such a study is also believed to be conducive to laying a theoretical foundation for the development of convenient and nutritious "tea food" varieties. Methods of Investigation I.Methods ofInvestigation Make on-the-spot investigation of the ancient tea plants in the places (such as Chongqing, Wansheng, Nanchuan, Fuling, PengshUl, Youyang,Gongtan, Longtan, Xianfeng, Laifeng, Enshi, Badong,Wanzhou, tlie Three-Gorges ReservOIr Area, Ylchang ana Changyang etc.) ,and the adjacent regions inl1abited by the ethnic groups; read local annals and related historical materials; interview local semor people; learn about the tea-eating procedures by visiting the families and on-the-spot operation; interview the experts in relics management departments of the local government and nationalities affairs commission, investigate the relics and written materials and interview the heads ofthe ethnic groups; and shoot the materials into video­ tapes. 2 Ingredients of Dayou Cha and its finished products and analysis of their nutrients and functional components. Using HPLC method to analyze contents of Theanine, Caffeine, E-GCG,E-GC,E-CG, E-C, and D,L-C, the mineral elements are determined by atomic absorption method and the amino acids are analyzed by auto­ measurer as well as the other components are determined by chemical methods. Results and Discussion I The natural geography ofancient "Ba" and the "Bashan Xiachuan" as mentioned in Tea Cklssics. Viewed from the perspective of historical geography, the original "Ba" did not refer to any specific tribe or state. Rather, it referred to a vast region which was inhabited by quite a few tribes (which subsequently developed into small states) It was generalli' called "Ba" by the people living on the Central Plains of ancient China (Yuan Tinghua,1998). Owing to the fact that Ba covered a great territory and that it frequently happened that whole tribes of the primitive forebears often changed their residences, ancient Sa covered not only eastern Sichuan but also the vast area stretching from the middle reaches of the Hanshui River to the middle 2 reaches ofthe Yan~ River.(see figure. 1) The concept of"Bashan Xiachuan" first .;,~ /' appeared in Lu Yu s Tea Classics ofthe Tang Dynasty, which book was written in about 758A.D (Lu Yu,758 A.D).. According to the geographical division oflate Tang Fig.1 Geographical division of ancient Ba state in China • The project is supported by the O-CHA (TEA) Pioneer Academic Research Grant ofJapan Session I -8- Dynasty, it referred to the area ofa dozen ofriver valleys south ofthe Yangtze River from the present Wanzhou to Yibin (Ui Yunfu and Zhang ChengchuI1, 1979). It was here that Lu Yu discovered many giant tea trees, of which some had so thick a trunk that two persons were needed to embrace it in their arms. Based on the theory of "regional culture", the authors assume that the Three-Gorges area covered the vast mountainous areas ofDabashan, Wulingshan and Daloushan, inhabited now by the ethnic groups ofTujia. Miao, Tong and Yao together with the Hans. 2 Natural distribution ofthe species C sinensis in the Three-Gorges area Investigation shows that the Three-Gorges area constitutes part ofthe tea (Camellia. sinensis ) growing areas on southwestern China. Based on historical records, great "' wild tea trees were fIrst discovered in this area in Tang Dynasty (618-907), a thousand years earlier than the discovery ofthe great wild tea trees in Assam, India. A survey made by the authors has revealed that giant tea trees or their remains (See Figures 2-3) are present in many countieslcities orChongqing, such as Nanchuan, Jiangjin, Qijiang, Wansheng, Wuling, Qianjiang and Wushan. The tallest of them is 11.78 m in height. It therefore follows that the Three-Gorges was a habitat Fig.2 Relies ofold tea plant Fig.3 Giant tea tree in Chongqing for wild tea plants in ancient times, and constitutes one of the original growing regions oftea. This made it possible that the primitive forebears of the local people found tea leaves edible and detOXIcating and consequently harvested them for consumption. 3 Origin and evolution ofthe tea customs ofthe tea-eating nationalities in the Three-Gorges area 3.1 The present status of development of the tea customs and folkways of the ethnic groups in the Three- Go~ges Smce are:.'ancient tImes,.t h e Three-Gorges area has been 'nhI ab'Itedbyethn'IC groups, ch'Iefl y, by t h e T"UJIa. M'laO, 'rlong and Yao people. Their current tea customs fall into the category of folk culture. Tea has integrated into their daily life. They consume tea primarily by "eating" it and seldom sip it. What follows is a brief description ofhow they prepare their tea food in various places. Dayou Cha is taken as something special for treating guests by the local people, and it is a most popular and essential part oftheir customs. Figure 4 shows the ingredients oftheir Dayou ChaThey think Dayou Cha soup to be refreshing and hunger-relieving, and that is why they sometimes call it "vigor­ stimulating soup" in Nanchuan District.Their annual consumption oftea per capita is as high as 2,500 g. Thus Dayou Cha soup has promoted tea production in Nanchuan. The Hans here allegedly came from Hubei in Ming Dynasty. Fuling, which is located in the Wujiang River valley, was the Zhiba state in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods (770-256 B.c.), and is now the home of many ethnic groups. According to the local native people, the people there used to grind tea leaves and cook the flour as food as early as in Tang and Song Dynasties ,and along the Wujiang River bank at Fuling there is a special kind of stone which is the best material for making tea mills. In the Museum of Natural Fig.4 Nanehuan Dayou Cha History of Ful ing, there is a big collection of unearthed pottery articles made as early as in Shang and Zhou Dynasties,i.e. from about 1700 B.C. to 256 B.c., and what is especially worth mentioning is a decorated three-legged wok made in Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 CD.) (See Figure 5). Traces of fumigation remain noticeable at the bottom of it. Some specialists postulate that it might probably have been a utensil for cooking tea. Longtan and Youyang are largely inhabited by the Tujia ethnic groups. Most of the local people build their homes along the nver or hundreds of families are concentrated to form a residential point. Dayou Cha is something precious to treat distinguished guests (Its ingredients see Figure 6). At sacrifice ceremony for worshiping their ancestors and at wedding ceremonies, tea (i.e. Dayou Cha soup) is a Fig.S A decorated three-legged wok Fig.6 Wujiang Dayou Cha must, indicating the important position tea occupIes in made in Han Dynasty (206B.C.-220C.L., the daily life ofthe local people.
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