Roasted Tea and Guanguan Tea: How the Lahu, Wa, and Yi Drink It

In Yunnan's mountain villages, the fire pit is the center of the home. Boiling water, cooking, and keeping warm all happen there, and so does drinking tea. Roasting tea leaves over the fire and then boiling them is a habit shared by many peoples, collectively called "roasted tea" (烤茶, kaocha). When it's roasted and boiled in a small clay pot, it's often called "guanguan tea" (罐罐茶, "little-pot tea").

What Is Roasted Tea?

The basic idea of roasted tea is: dry-roast the leaves first, then add water. Roasting brings out toasty, baked aromas and rounds off the bitterness and astringency, so the tea's fragrance is very different from ordinary brewing, a bit like roasted grain or caramel.

Common steps:

1. Heat a small clay pot beside the fire pit or over charcoal.
2. Add a small pinch of sun-dried maocha.
3. Hold the pot and keep shaking and turning it so the leaves heat evenly, until they turn golden brown and the aroma rises.
4. Pour in boiling water; the pot will let out a "sizzle" and foam up heavily. Some places therefore call it "thunder tea" (雷響茶).
5. Simmer briefly or let it sit a moment, then pour into cups to drink; you can add more water and boil it again several times.

Roasted Tea Among Different Peoples

The Lahu

The Lahu live mainly in Lancang and Menglian in Pu'er City and in Lincang and elsewhere; Lancang County, where Jingmai Mountain is located, is officially the "Lancang Lahu Autonomous County." Lahu roasted tea is mostly made in small clay pots, roasted until fragrant and then topped with water, and the first cup is often offered to elders or guests.

The Wa

The Wa live mainly in Cangyuan in Lincang, Ximeng in Pu'er, and elsewhere; see Zhenkang, Cangyuan, and Gengma. Wa roasted tea is often described like this: leaves are placed on a thin iron plate or a piece of pottery and roasted over the fire until golden brown, then put into a kettle of boiling water to simmer, giving a strong tea with a toasty aroma.

The Yi

The Yi are widely distributed, found in many parts of Yunnan. Yi guanguan tea uses a small earthen pot: the tea is roasted first and then topped with water; sometimes each person has their own little pot, roasting and drinking slowly. It's an everyday ritual in the farming off-season or in the morning.

Details vary among peoples and villages; the above are common general descriptions.

How to Make Guanguan Tea

The keys to guanguan tea are "a small pot" and "slowness":

1. Use a very small clay pot, often holding just a cup or two.
2. First heat the empty pot, add a small amount of tea, and shake-roast it until toasty.
3. Pour in a little hot water and return it to the fire to boil.
4. Pour out a small cup; the tea is strong and usually sipped slowly.
5. Add water and boil again; one pot can be boiled many times.

Because there's a lot of tea relative to water and it's boiled, the tea is usually very strong, with a roasted aroma and huigan after the bitterness.

Is the Bai Three-Course Tea Related to Pu'er?

The Bai live mainly around Dali. The Bai Three-Course Tea (三道茶) is a ritual for welcoming guests, following the principle of "first bitter, second sweet, third aftertaste":

The first course of the Three-Course Tea is roasted tea, so it shares the same lineage as the roasted-tea traditions of Yunnan's various peoples. The Bai Three-Course Tea was added to China's list of national intangible cultural heritage in 2014, and in 2022, as part of "Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China," it was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

As for its relationship to pu'er: the Three-Course Tea uses local Yunnan tea, and Xiaguan in Dali is an important producer of tuocha; see Xiaguan Tea Factory. But the Three-Course Tea isn't limited to pu'er, and the tea used varies from household to household.

Can You Make Roasted Tea at Home?

Yes. A simple version:

What you'll need

• A small clay pot, small earthenware pot, or small iron pan that can withstand high heat;
• 3–5 g of shaiqing maocha or loose raw pu'er;
• About 200 ml of boiling water.

Steps

1. Preheat the empty vessel over low heat for 1 minute.
2. Add the leaves and keep shaking or turning them with chopsticks for about 1–2 minutes, until they turn slightly golden brown and smell toasty. Don't roast them until black.
3. Turn off the heat and carefully pour in boiling water (it will release a lot of steam and foam, so keep your face away).
4. Let it sit 1–2 minutes, then strain and drink; you can add more water to re-steep.

Reminders

• Stay safe throughout; the vessel gets very hot, so use heat-resistant gloves.
• Don't dry-heat a coated nonstick pan.
• Try a small amount the first time; over-roasting gives a burnt, bitter taste.
• Ripe tea doesn't roast well, as its aroma changes little; raw tea works best.

Roasted tea has a warm aroma that's perfect for winter, and it goes well with the winter suggestions in Pu'er Through the Four Seasons.

FAQ

What is roasted tea? Tea leaves are first dry-roasted in a clay pot or over the fire until golden brown, then topped with boiling water or simmered, giving a toasty aroma; it's a way of drinking tea shared by many peoples in Yunnan.

How is guanguan tea made? Use a very small clay pot, roast the tea until toasty, add a little hot water and bring it to a boil, then pour out small cups to sip slowly, adding water and boiling again many times.

Can I make roasted tea at home? Yes. In a heat-resistant small clay pot or iron pan, roast 3–5 g of raw tea over low heat for 1–2 minutes until slightly golden brown, then carefully pour in boiling water.

Is the Bai Three-Course Tea related to pu'er? The first course, bitter tea, is roasted tea made with Yunnan tea; it's a Dali Bai ritual for welcoming guests and was listed as national intangible heritage in 2014.