Chinese Wine

Chinese wine has a history of more than five thousand years and has developed a unique style. Wine as a special form of culture has a special position in traditional Chinese culture. It has penetrated almost all fields of social life during several thousand years of civilization. It is closely related to social and economic activities. Since the implementation of a wine monopoly by the state during Emperor Wu's reign in the Han Dynasty, the fee collected from vintage trade and the special tax on wine has become one of the main sources of the state’s fiscal revenue.

The revenue from the wine tax is also related to military expenditure and war. It has a direct bearing on the survival or extinction of a country. In some dynasties, wine tax (or the monopoly revenue of wine) is still related to labor service and other forms of levies. The high profits of wine have always been the choicest meat that the state, merchants, the wealthy and common people fight for. The issuance of imperial decrees on wine has also always been related to the change of dynasties, subrogation of emperors and some significant royal activities.

Chinese people reduce the functions of wine to three main categories: to cure diseases, for longevity and for the practice of etiquette. For several thousand years, however, the functions have not been limited to these three categories and at least also include using wine to bring joy, to forget worries and to boost one's courage. At times, people may abandon themselves when drinking and go astray, and wine can be harmful to people's health if they drink too much. There have been quite a few monarchs in history who indulged in wine and induced the disaster of subjugating their nations.　

To put simply, wine is a sign of social civilization. The study of the civilization history of a society must go hand in hand with the cultural history of wine. The rich connotations of Chinese wine culture bring pleasure and enlightenment to people.

DIY food

here are many dishes which the Chinese people eat in their daily life that are easy to cook. For example, Fried Rice with Egg takes only minutes to make. Others, such as Jiiaozi Stuffed with Leek and Pork, Saozi Noodles and Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs, take longer, but still consist of only a few simple steps. Many of the ingredients can be readily available at the local supermarkets, while others may require a trip to a Chinese/Asian market or the use of a substitute. Here are some easy DIY recipe ideas. Even if you are new to Chinese cooking, you can cook fine chinese food by following these easy recipes.

Saozi Noodles

Ingredients:

Hand-pulled Noodles, carrot, dried bean curd, pork, shallot, garlic, potato, green pepper, agarics, mature vinegar, salt, sugar, soy, oil and hot pepper powder. The seasons as mature vinegar, salt, sugar, soy, oil and hot pepper powder are added according to your favor.

Instruction:

There are three main steps to make Saozi Noodles:

First, make hand-pulled noodles. The authentic Saozi Noodles are made of hand-pulled noodles, but it is too hard for people who have never been trained to pull paste into noodles. You can buy noodles at supermarkets.

Second, make Saozi, This is the most important step.

(1). Chop the pork, garlic and ginger and cut carrot, dried bean curd, shallot, garlic, ginger, potato, green pepper and agarics (mushrooms) into small slices. Heat the pan; put some oil, and sauté the chopped pork while stirring continuously.
(2).When the pork is medium rare, add the chopped ginger, the small pieces of carrot, dried bean curd, garlic, potato, green pepper and agarics, and then add small salt and sugar. Continue to sauté the ingredients while stirring continuously.
(3). When the chopped pork is medium well, add some mature vinegar, and then some soy sauce. Continue to sauté the ingredients while stirring continuously.
(4). When the chopped pork is well done, put some hot pepper powder, and add a litter water. Braise for few minutes.
After that, Saozi is well done and standby for the next step.

Third: Make soup.

Clean the pan and add some oil. After the oil has been heated, put some mature vinegar and salt and water (not too much). After that put Saozi into it and boil the soup. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in another boiler; after the noodle is well done, drag the noodle without water. When the soup is boiled, add some hot pepper powder and small pieces of shallot, and then the soup is done.

Pour the soup on the noodles and mix them well. The Saozi Noodle is done and you can enjoy it now.

Chinese Vegetarian Food

Most Chinese vegetarians are Buddhists, following the Buddhist teachings about minimizing suffering. In addition, many Yoga practicers in China are vegetarians or vegans. Nowadays, in order to keep health and fit, more and more Chinese people who are not vegetarians or vegans, tend to eat vegetarian food from time to time. Therefore, vegetarian food is common and readily available in China, though Vegetarianism is only practiced by a relatively small fraction of the population. Moreover, an Emphasis on Fresh Vegetables Makes Chinese Cuisine Perfect for Vegetarians. The mainstays of Chinese cuisine - noodles, rice, tofu, and vegetables - are all present in vegetarian cooking. It just takes some effort and a bit of flexibility to find fine vegetarian food in many restaurants which are not vegetarian restaurants.

Besides large varieties of vegetables, Chinese vegetarian food often applies Tofu (bean curd), dry bean curd, nut, mushroom, fungi and alga as its ingredients. Interestingly, you will frequently find dishes resembling a type of meat or seafood. For example, in Fried Mock Oyster, mashed tofu pieces are shaped like an oyster. Besides good taste, Chinese vegetarian food pays a great emphasis on displaying a harmonious balance of colors and textures as well as flavors.

Here is a list of common Chinese vegetarian dishes and/or street food, including names in Chinese, Pinyin and English.

Pinyin English Name Chinese Name

wo wo tou North-eastern steamed corn bread 窝窝头

dou sha bao Sweet bun with red bean paste inside 豆沙包

bai cai mu er Cabbage and Mushrooms 白菜木耳

nan gua gua jiang Pumpkin candy 南瓜挂浆

liang ban huang gua Cold Cucumber Salad 凉拌黄瓜

cui pi dou fu Crispy-Skin Tofu 脆皮豆腐

jia chang dou fu Home-style Tofu 家常豆腐

ma la dou fu Hot Pepper Tofu 麻辣豆腐

di san xian Eggplant with Chilli and Potato 地三鲜

Xianggu Youcai Sautéed Cabbage with Mushrooms 香菇油菜
suan ni bo cai Garlic Fried Chinese Spinach 蒜泥菠菜

jinzhengu ban huanggua Golden Needle Mushrooms & Cucumber 金针菇拌黄瓜

Staples and Main Food Types

RICE

China is the world’s largest rice producer, and one of the earliest centers of rice cultivation. For thousands of years, the Chinese people have been diligently cultivating their land for favorable harvests. The agricultural way of life, with rice as the center, has played an important role in China’s history. In the past, people held the belief that the precious things of life are the five grains with rice being number one, instead of pearls or jade.

For the Chinese people, rice is the staple food in everyday meals. They eat it as Westerners do with bread. Rice is cooked by boiling or steaming, till it absorbs as much water as it can.

There is a rich collection of rice dishes in China. Among them, fried rice might be the most popular not only in China, but also around the world. Depending on the types and amount of added ingredients, such as beans, chopped meat, vegetables, eggs, etc., as well as different manners of preparation, there have developed endless variations of fried rice.

Rice may also be made into rice porridge (congee). When cooking porridge, more water than usual is added to make the rice saturated with water and become very soft and viscous. It is often served and eaten with pickles, bamboo shoots, salted duck eggs, pickled tofu and many other condiments. Besides a common food on the dining table, rice porridge can also serve as food therapy for the unwell by adding ingredients of therapeutic value.

Noodles

Noodles are a staple food in Chinese cuisine, with a long history and wide popularity. Its first appearance can be traced back to the East Han Dynasty (25 – 220 AD), and it became very popular during Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD). Its cooking methods are numerous, though relatively simple. People can, according to their likes and tastes, add different ingredients and materials to make a great variety of noodles.

Chinese noodles vary in width. They can be thin as needles, or thick as chopsticks. However, when it comes to length, they are usually served long and uncut. This is because long noodles are a symbol of longevity in Chinese tradition. Thus, during birthday celebrations, people will serve “longevity noodles” in good hope for longevity.

Chinese noodles are generally made from wheat flour, rice flour, or types of starches, such as Mung Bean starch. Wheat flour noodles are commonly produced and consumed in North China, while rice flour noodles are more typical in South China.

Rice flour and starch-based noodles are made only with rice flour or starch and water. Wheat flour noodles maybe added in low quantities with egg, lye or food coloring in order to have a yellow color, and change the texture, tenderness and taste of the noodles. No matter their type, noodles cook very quickly. Usually it requires no more than 5 minutes to become al dente, while thinner noodles only take less than one minute to finish cooking.

Because of different manners of preparation and using of materials and ingredients, there are over a thousand types of noodles all over China with local characteristics. Among them, the most famous ones are soy bean paste noodles (or Zhajiang Mian) in Beijing, hand-pulled noodles (or Lamian) in Shaanxi Province, sliced noodles (or Daoxiao Mian) in Shanxi Province, dandan noodles (or dandan mian) in Sichuan Province, to name just a few.

Noodles are served and eaten hot or cold, boiled, steamed, stir-fried, deep-fried, or served in soup. Whichever way, you’ll first need to, by using chopsticks, stir the noodle till all the materials are evenly mingled before enjoying it. Noodles are an excellent food for the nutritionally-inclined, providing harmonious dietary balance. They are low in calories, and high in protein and carbohydrate.

Famous Noodles

Lanzhou Hand pulled Noodles with Beef 兰州牛肉拉面

This kind of hand-pulled noodle is also known as the "Lanzhou Beef Noodles", one of the most common dishes in the local area. Visitors can see it at every corner of the city and it has become a part of the local people's life. The noodle is handmade, and it takes a cook only one or two minutes to stretch the flour cake into many needle-like noodles. Today small restaurants serving Lanzhou Beef Noodles can be found at almost every Chinese cities. However, most of them are hidden at small alleys or back streets.

Among the many beef restaurants in Lanzhou, the Jinding Beef Noodle Restaurant in Pingliang Road, and the Mazhilu Beef Noodle Restaurant in Wudu Road and the Minority Restaurant in Zhangye Road are the most famous ones.

Guilin Rice Noodles 桂林米粉

Taking pride of place as the most popular local snack (or breakfast, lunch or dinner) in Guilin, mifen is pliable but strong, fragrant and mellow, and cheap (2.5 yuan for a bowl). Guilin rice noodles can probably be found within 100m of any town or city area.

Rice noodles, gravy, fried peanuts or soybeans, chopped scallions and thin slices of different kinds of meat are added for various versions of this renowned and tasty dish. Well-chopped condiments include: spring onions, chilli, pickled beans and pickled white raddish in chilli sauce. Soup may be ladled on or dispensed from an urn. Although there are many restaurants around the country who claim to serve authentic Guilin Rice Noodles. However, There are rarely any restaurants serving authentic Guilin Rice Noodles outside Guilin City.

Guagnzhou Shahefen 广州沙河粉

Shahefen is a kind of noodles made of rice. It is broad, white in color. Their texture is elastic and a bit chewy. They do not freeze or dry well and are thus generally (where available) purchased fresh, in strips or sheets that may be cut to the desired width. Shhefen is popular in southern China's Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan Province.

Vegetables

Vegetables are, in general, the second most fundamental part of Chinese cuisine, after the staple rice. Chinese people are fond of vegetables, especially leafy greens, and eat many different kinds at almost every meal, sometimes preserve and eat them as snacks.

Many commonly used vegetables in Chinese meals are familiar to Westerners, such as cabbages, mushrooms, peas and beans, all leafy greens, chili peppers, onions, carrots, celery, broccoli, bamboo shoots , gourds, etc.

Chinese people prefer cooked vegetables rather than raw. Vegetables are cut into thin strips or small pieces, cooked with meat, tofu, fish, seafood or noodles. They can also be used in soups, braises, or as stuffing for dumplings, wontons, and steamed bums.

Besides, people like to make vegetables into pickles. A huge variety of pickled vegetables are made, such as cucumber, cabbage, turnip, chili pepper, among many others. Pickles have a refreshing and savory taste, so they are often served as appetizers in a meal.

EGGS

China has a large consumption of eggs each year. People consume eggs laid by many poultries; the most common ones are chicken, duck, goose, pigeon, and quails.

Food savvy Chinese people make lots of dishes out of eggs. The most unique and famous ones are probably the salted duck eggs and century eggs (preserved eggs), both are produced and eaten all over China.

Salted duck eggs are made of fresh duck eggs, by soaking in brine for about one month till the yolk becomes bright orange-red color, and the salty flavor is absorbed.

People make century eggs with duck, chicken or quail eggs. Eggs are soaked in a mixture of ash, salt, lime, clay and rice straw for several weeks or months, depending on different processing methods, till the white becomes a dark-brown transparent jelly, while the yolk becomes a cream-like, dark-green substance. The eggs smell a strong odor of sulphur and ammonia.

In Chinese, the pronunciation of egg, dan, sounds similar to dai, which means generation. Eggs represent rebirth and fertility in traditional view. When two people get married, when a baby is born, at the baby’s first-month birthday, and some other joyous occasions, red-dyed eggs are passed out as auspicious gifts. They represent hope, happiness, and carrying on the family line by having babies.

Fish

Fish is eaten through out the coastal areas as well as the inland parts of China. During festivals or celebrations, fish is an essential dish at family dinner table. Fish is so important in chinese food culture is because it is considered a symbol of abundance and prosperity.

In Chinese, the pronunciation of fish, “yu”, sounds the same with the word for abundance, richness, or surpluses, and it is believed that eating fish will bring prosperity in the coming year. Therefore, in China, especially at banquets, it is customary to serve the entire fish, with the fish head pointing towards the honored guest.

Popular fish and shellfish include carp, grass carp, crucian, sea bass, squid, soft-shell turtle, crab, shrimp, prawn, scallops, oysters, etc.

The cooking of fish is a delicate matter. At many Chinese restaurants, a new cook is tested by cooking fish, and a restaurant is often known by the chef’s skill in cooking fish. The ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi even said "Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish."

Tofu (Bean Curd)

Tofu, or literally translated as bean curd, is a food of Chinese origin. It is made from soy milk, water and a curdling agent. The production of Tofu from soy milk is similar to that of cheese from milk. It is made by coagulating soy milk, then pressing the resulting curds into blocks.

Tofu contains little fat, and is high in protein, calcium and iron. Tofu itself has very little flavor or smell, but it has the ability to absorb new flavors through spices and marinades. Due to this quality and nutritional value, Tofu, a staple of Asian cuisines since ancient times, has recently become a popular material used in Western vegetarian dishes.

There is a wide variety of tofu, which can be split into two main categories: fresh tofu – produced directly from soy milk, and processed tofu – processed in some way from fresh tofu.

Fresh Tofu

Soft/silken Tofu

With white color and very tender texture, it contains the highest moisture contents of all fresh tofus. This is the typical tofu in south part of China. It is usually used to make soup.

Firm Tofu

Typical tofu in north China, it has a yellowish color, and bounces back when readily pressed. Because of its firm texture, it is suitable for stir-fry, and can be picked up easily with chopsticks.

Dried Tofu

This extra firm tofu contains the least amount of moisture of all fresh tofu. It is usually pressed very flat and sliced into long strings, which looks like loose cooked noodles, and can be served cold or stir-fried.

Processed Tofu

Picked Tofu

Also called fermented tofu, it consists of dried tofu cubes that have been fully air-dried, then soaked in Chinese wine, salt water, vinegar, minced chilies, etc. for slow fermentation process.

Stinky Tofu

This smelly tofu is a kind of snack with strong odor described as rotten or fecal. Blocks of soft tofu are fermented in unique brine, and then after frying till the rind becomes crisp, are usually served with sweet sauce, soy sauce or hot sauce.

Famous Tofu Dish

Mapo Tofu (Mapo Bean Curd)

Mapo Bean Curd is a combination of bean curd set in a chili-and-bean based sauce, which is usually a thin, oily, and bright red suspension, and often topped with minced meant, usually pork or beef. Seasonings include water chestnuts, onions, other vegetables, or wood ear fungus.

Meat and poultry

Chinese people basically eat all animals’ meat, such as pork, beef, mutton, chicken, duck, pigeon, as well as many others. Pork is the most commonly consumed meat, and it appears almost in every meal. It is so common that it can be used to mean both meat and pork.

Every part of the animal can be eaten, be it meat, skin, fat, blood, or entrails. People even joke that, speaking of pig’s meat, every part of the pig can be eaten, and nothing is wasted, except for the oink.

Chinese people rarely eat any raw meat. They prepare and cook meat in various ways. All meat can be boiled, stir-fried, stewed, roasted, poached, baked, or pickled, etc.

The most famous dish might be Beijing Roast Duck. It has been prepared since the imperial era, and is considered as one of China’s national foods. The duck is served with pancakes, cucumber, spring onions and hoisin sauce (seafood paste).

SOUP

The history of soup might be as old as the history of cooking. Chinese soup has been an important part of Chinese food culture for a long time. It is considered to be one of the most nutritious and digestible food types.

Since in China, soups are eaten as one of the main dishes in a meal, particular attention is attached to the soups’ stocks. Meat, bones, eggs, marine products, vegetables, fruits, crops and edible fungus are used.

There is a wide variety of Chinese soup; however, it can be generally characterized into two main categories: Thin soups – made with clear broth and cooked quickly; thick soups – cooked more slowly with all the stocks added together at once, and often starches are added as a thickener near the end of the cooking process.

It’s an ancient tradition to treat a cold or fever with soup. In addition to its ability to comfort, it is believed that certain soups have healing powers. Many soups are consumed for their flavor, as well as for their restorative or invigorating effects. This is heavily linked with traditional Chinese medicine. There are varieties of such tonic soups, ranging from pungent to light, savory to sweet flavors.

Chinese Table Manners

Chinese dining traditions have as long a history as the history of "Chinese Cooking". The Chinese people pride themselves on being one of the earliest peoples to develop sophisticated notions of polite social interaction, including highly sophisticated rules of etiquette governing acceptable table manners. Since 'wining and dining' guests is an old and esteemed tradition in China, it is not surprising that Chinese society has developed an intricate set of rules to govern also this delicate aspect of social interaction, where the potential to offend others is always present.

Chinese dining etiquette, whether it applies to receiving only a few guests at a single table in one's home or to holding a public banquet involving dozens of guests seated at several tables, varies with the character and purpose of the dinner. It also differs slightly from region to region in China. China's banquet etiquette is said to have originated from the Yili ("Etiquette and Ceremonials"), a work believed to have been penned by the Duke of Zhou during the Zhou (BCE 1027-221) Dynasty, though no independent mention of the book exists until the beginning of the Han (BCE 206 - CE 220) Dynasty. Through thousands of years of evolution, Chinese dining etiquette has continued to develop, albeit always with one foot in the traditions of the past.

The rules of Chinese dining etiquette - some of which are implicit though most are eminently explicit - cover such things as presenting oneself to the host (and presenting the host with a gift), the seating arrangement at a single table - as well as who sits at which table at a banquet - the "pecking order" of the toast (and the signal that dining may commence), and how to hold a rice bowl (as well as the Dos & Don'ts of serving oneself from a platter). Then there is a long list of elemenatary Don'ts that cover what might be termed "good table manners" in any civilized society, but which we will elegantly pass over here under the assumption that the reader requires no pointers in this regard

Chinese Cooking Art

Though there are many different schools, branches, regional variants, etc., of Chinese cooking, together they constitute what one might reasonably term "Chinese Cooking", where "Chinese Cooking" is distinct from, say, "Italian Cooking". A nation's cooking culture reflects its food traditions, from the food-preparation and eating habits of the countryside to the food-preparation and eating habits of the city, notwithstanding the increasing introduction of foreign fare that is not only served in "foreign" restaurants in the city, but which today is also found in the freezer section of most supermarkets even in the countryside.

In spite of these globalization tendencies, a large swath of any country's population will continue to enjoy their country's cuisine, partly because it is familiar and they like it (they have grown up with it), and partly because it is based on food staples that are cheaper to obtain (the very existence of a large market for a given food item means that its production permits what economists call an 'economy of scale'). "Chinese Cooking" will live on in New York City, in London, in Paris and in Sydney, even should the people of China - perhaps inspired by the scaled-down versions of Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, etc. - ever discard it in favor of an amalgamation of various foreign cooking traditions.

What makes Chinese cooking "Chinese Cooking", you may ask? Well, while some of the following features may apply to just about any national cooking tradition, they all come together in "Chinese Cooking" (note that the description below does not delve into the particular "How-To" techniques of "Chinese Cooking", but rather, looks at the phenomenon of "Chinese Cooking" from a more generalized perspective).

"Chinese Cooking" is characterized by:

Distinct Regional Flavors - Since China is a very large and a very ancient country, with varying ethnic and cultural traditions, and since China possesses an abundance of agricultural resources that reflect local and regional differences in climate, products, customs and habits, it has developed a variety of local and regional food flavors over the course of its long and illustrious history. One of the most common - and generally accurate - generalizations regarding China's eating habits is the saying "rice in the south, noodles in the north". A similar broad - and broadly accurate - saying is the following: "sweetness in the south, saltiness in the north, sourness in the east and spiciness in the west", which corresponds to the cooking traditions characterized especially by Bashu (Sichuan Province), Qilu (Shandong Province), Huaiyang (Jiangsu Province) and Yuemin (Guangdong and Fujian Provinces), respectively.

Seasonality - The Chinese people have a long tradition of consuming local foodstuffs, implicit in which is the notion of consuming produce that belongs to the particular season. The easy availability of a particular foodstuff is of course related to its consumer price, and since local foodstuffs are readily available in large quantities "in season", the price range is generally low. Morever, consuming seasonally available (read: locally available) foodstuffs means that one is assured of obtaining fresher foodstuffs, all other things being equal, than purchasing non-seasonal foodstuffs which have to be transported over long distances. The third factor is intricately linked to the other two: seasonal/ local availability means that people have become adept at developing recipies that make the most of particular foodstuffs at specific times of the year. To highlight the extremes, locally available winter foodstuffs are generally served hot and are braised, stewed or simmered, while locally available summer foodstuffs are often served chilled and are dressed with a piquant sauce.

Holistic Aesthetic Appeal - Chinese cooking has traditionally placed a great deal of emphasis on the aesthetic appeal of the individual dish as well as on the role the individual dish plays in the totality of the dining experience. Inherent in this sentiment is the attention paid to the harmony and balance of the ingredients of an individual dish - the dish's texture, color, aroma, and flavor - as well as the part played by the taste, appearance, etc., of the individual dish in comparison to the tastes, appearances, etc., of all of the dishes being served.

This emphasis on aesthetic appeal extends also to the particulars of the tableware, the aim being to create a harmonious balance not only with respect to the makeup of the individual dish and with respect to the complementarity between the types of dishes being served, but also with respect to the setting in which the dining experience is to occur. Part and parcel of this emphasis is also on the sequence and rhythm in which dishes are served, and even concerns the naming of individual dishes, as there exists a long tradition in Chinese society for naming things - from garden ponds to mountain vistas - either after the highbrow (eg., after a famous literary passage) or after a nickname that appeals to everyman (such as the dish Red Lion's Head (Fried Meatballs in Brown Sauce) or the dish Beggar's Chicken (Roasted Chicken in "Yellow Mud", i.e., Roasted Chicken in thick yellow gravy)).

The Inclusion of "Medicinal" Foodstuffs/ Herbs - The cooking tradition of China, since time immemorial, has been intricately linked to the use of herbs and other foodstuffs and/or spices that are believed to have a beneficial effect on the body, and in some cases may be considered as part of a traditional ("folk" or "ancestral") treatment. Some of these foodstuffs/ herbs may be quite tasty in and of themselves, and might be desired as a taste enhancer even should their putative medicinal value be proven to be nonexistent. Other of these "medicinal" foodstuffs/ herbs are considered mildly toxic in other parts of the world, though their use in China does not seem to have caused alarm, which is of course what one would expect to have happened if they really were harmful.

In sum, while "Chinese Cooking" combines several features that may be common to many other national cooking traditions, it embraces other features that set it distinctly apart from, for example, "Italian Cooking".

Custome of drinking Tea

China has the earliest history of drinking tea. Therefore, Chinese people know best the true interest in drinking tea. When guests call in they are entertained with tea. Substituting tea for wine and gifts has been the doctrine of drinking tea for all nationalities in our country through the ages.

Han nationality: The Han nationality has a long history of drinking tea in varied ways. They generally prefer green tea, scented tea, black tea or Wulong tea. Most of them have a liking for an unadulterated drink. They believe that only through unadulterated drinks can they best appreciate and taste the serenity, elegance and verve of tea. Drinking medicinal tea is not aimed at "tasting", but trying its effects of medical and health care.

Zang nationality: The Zang people are very proficient in the nutrition deployment of tea drinking. They like butter tea the best. This tea has a rich taste with sweetness and saltiness amid acerbity, as well as a permeating fragrance. It has the effects of warming up the body and resisting the cold. Butter tea is regarded as a special product. When a couple holds a wedding ceremony, tea is used as a symbol of a happy and contented marriage.

Uygur nationality: The Uygur people revel in drinking tea and regard it as important as rice. There is a popular saying in Xinjiang: "I would rather take no rice than no tea in a day." They like milk tea and fragrant tea the best.

Mongolian nationality: The Mogolian people like salty milk tea, which is made by mixing tea, milk and salt. The boiling of the tea seems simple, but in fact it involves certain techniques. Generally, when a girl is old enough, she should learn these from her mother. When she is getting married, she should perform the art of boiling tea in public and present it to the guests to show that she has unusual skills and has been well educated at home.

China is a nation with numerous nationalities. The history, culture and geographical environment of all nationalies vary and their customs of drinking tea are also very colorful and have their own strong points. There is the Bamboo Tube Fragrant Tea of the Dai nationality, the Yanba tea and Dragon and Tiger tea of the Naxi nationality, the Thunder Tea of the Lisu nationality, the Lei Tea of the Tujia nationality, the Sour Tea of the Bulang nationality, the Three-course Tea of the Bai nationality, the Oil Tea of the Miao nationality and the Jar Tea of the Hui nationality in Yunnan, etc. They are too numerous to mention one by one and all have their own characteristics.