Tea Culture and Southeast Asia

China is the origin of tea, the earliest country in the world that has discovered, produced and consumed tea.
It dates back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Ancient Tea-House Road was established in the Southwest of China, allowing tea to be introduced to Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos etc. In the Ming Dynasty, the development of the maritime Silk Road and the tribute trade led to the gradual acceptance of this magical leaf by the countries of Southeast Asia following the seven expeditionary treasure voyages Zheng He (鄭和,1371–1433 or 1435, a Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat, and court eunuch during China's early Ming dynasty). Thereafter, Chinese tea customs and etiquettes were also brought to these countries, taken root and blended with the local culture, thus breeding the special tea etiquettes of each country. Malaysia is a prime example of this.

In the late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period, with the trend of Chinese workers traveling to Southeast Asia to make a living, a great number of people from Guangdong Province and Guangxi swamped to Malaysia for jobs in mining, planting and sugar plants growing. Due to the damp heat in Malaysian weather, many mine workers suffered heat stroke and dysentery. Since the mine owners were reluctant to pay for the high cost of the medicine for the workers who were too weak to work, an increasing number of people died. One worker from Guangxi drank the Liu Pao Tea (六堡茶,a fermented, aged black tea that originates from the town of Liu Pao, Guangxi Province, China), the symptoms slowly got lighter and finally disappeared completely. Therefore, the mine owners bought Liu Pao Tea in big volume for the workers in their mines and the workers got stronger after drinking the tea.
Liu Pao Tea has the effects of relieving heat and dampness, helps improve the digestive health, and removes miasma, so it was well received among the Chinese workers as an essential life-saving medicine. Whether in the diners and restaurants or in the tin mines, Liu Pao Tea became a necessity of life to people. As the demand for Liu Pao Tea increased, bulk purchases of it were made from Guangxi Province, gradually shaping the world-known Malaysian Tea warehouse. However, due to the downsizing of the mining industries in Malaysia, the purchase of the Liu Pao Tea has decreased significantly later though it is still going on now. As a return of Malaysian bulk purchases of tea during the time when numerous workers migrated to Southeast Asia for work, China adjusted the price of the tea slightly.

The integration of tea culture in Myanmar is different from Malaysia. Burmese drink green tea, black Tea, Oolong 乌龙茶, Puer 普洱, scented tea etc, either hot or with ice. They also adore either pure tea or flavored tea. Myanmar green tea is similar to Chinese green tea in both smell and taste. However, their black tea is quite different from the Chinese one. Under the influence of the United Kingdom in the middle of the nineteenth century, Burmese love to add milk in their tea, named laphet-yay. Since the quality of fresh milk cannot be guaranteed due to the high temperature in Myanmar, they change to condensed milk. With about two-centimeter height of condensed milk inside the cup, boiled black tea is poured into the cup, then the tea comes in two layers, the bottom layer of condensed milk while the top layer of black tea. Stirring the tea with a short-handled engraved spoon while drinking, one can smell the fragrant milk, immerse in the abundant flower aroma and the lingering caramel taste, and relax happily with full satisfaction.

Tea carries the features of water. When tea spread from China via the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, sailed across the seas and landed in neighboring countries, it took root there and blended with the local culture. There was no sense of loneliness or alienation of leaving hometown, but happiness and warmth of conforming to the local customs.
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