Ⅲ.Daily Tea Ceremony
Tea can be found and used everywhere in the life of ethnic minorities.Tea is an important link for them to get along with each other.
Fig.4-20 Pu’er tea and daily tea ceremony
（一）敬老茶礼
中国是一个具有千年历史的文明古国，各民族都有尊老敬老的传统美德，佤族人民也极看重此事，村村寨寨的人们都十分尊重和关怀老人，社会或家庭里谁歧视和虐待老人都会遭到谴责。在该民族有敬老茶礼，逢年过节的各种宴席上，人们都把老人请到上座，按照佤族的饮食风俗，家里煮的第一壶茶或第一罐茶必须先敬给老人喝，然后其他人才能依次煮着喝，喝酒也是一样，这些习俗在佤族家庭中不能随意违反。景颇族也有此礼，每年采春茶季节，男青年上山采春茶、舂春茶，敬给本族的老人，体现了景颇族的社会传统美德。
（二）敬客茶礼
古老的布朗族十分好客，把来客视为上宾，用茶待客是必不可少的礼仪，待客的第一件事就是敬茶，在该民族称敬客茶礼。按布朗族风俗，敬茶很有讲究，不论什么茶，敬茶都要先敬老人和父母，双手奉上以示尊敬。无论走进哪家的竹楼，好客的主人都会手捧一杯热气腾腾的茶，敬献到客人的手中，这杯茶称为迎客茶。布朗族竹楼的火塘边，常年放着一把大茶壶，当客人坐定后，茶水已经煮沸烧开，一个个用竹子制作的茶杯，盛满茶水奉送到每位客人手中。
（三）待客茶礼
傣族人民以茶为礼，凡事必有茶。凡客人到来必用茶水招待，以示主人热情好客、通情达理。泡出的第一泡或第一杯茶水，必须先敬长者或德高望重的人，其次是敬客人，最后才倒给自己喝。敬茶时，必须双手敬奉，一只手敬奉则认为有失恭敬。老人、客人都在时要一直不断地添茶倒水，慢慢品啜。这体现了傣族人民尊敬长辈、尊敬客人的传统美德。豪爽大方的彝族在节庆、宴飨之时，都以茶为贵。节庆期间都会用茶待客，喜庆之日宾客满座，主人用核桃仁、米花加茶叶，冲泡成香气扑鼻、祛痰润肺的核桃米花茶以迎接宾客。
图4-21 罐罐茶
(I)Tea Ceremony of Respecting the Aged
China is an ancient civilization with thousands of years of history.All ethnic groups have the traditional virtue of respecting the elderly, and the Wa people also attach great importance to it.People in all villages respect and care for the elderly very much.Anyone who discriminates and abuses the elderly in society or family will be condemned.In this minority, there is a tea ceremony of respecting the elderly.People would invite the elderly to the seat of ohonor at all kinds of banquets on holidays.According to the diet custom of Wa people, the first pot of tea cooked at home must be offered to the elderly, then others can be offered in turn.The same is true for drinking.These customs cannot be arbitrarily violated in Wa families.Jingpo people also follow this ceremony.Every year, in the season of picking spring tea, young men go up to the mountain to pick the spring team and then brew and offer it to their elders, which embodies the traditional social virtues of the Jingpo people.
(II)Tea Ceremony of Respecting Guest
The ancient Bulang people are very hospitable and regard visitors as distinguished guests.It is an essential etiquette to treat guests with tea.The first thing to treat guests is to serve tea, which is called the tea ceremony of respecting guests in this minority.According to Bulang customs,tea serving is very particular.No matter what kind of tea you serve, you must serve the elderly and parents first and present them with both hands to show respect.In any bamboo building, the hospitable host will hold a cup of hot tea and present it to the guests.This cup of tea is called tea greeting guests.By the fire pit of Bulang’s Bamboo Building, there is a big teapot all year round.When the guests sit down, the tea would have been boiled.Then tea cups made of bamboo would be filled with tea and served to each guest.
(III)Tea Ceremony of Entertaining Guest
Dai people regard tea as a gift, and tea is essential for all occasions.As long as there is a guest,they treat the guest with tea to show their hospitality and understanding.The first brewing or the first cup of tea must be first served to the elders or respected ones,then the guests, and finally themselves.The tea must be served with both hands.Otherwise it should be considered disrespectful.When the elderly and guests are around, they should be served by adding water so that they can sip slowly.This reflects the traditional virtue of the Dai people to respect their elders and guests.Generous Yi people also value tea at festivals and banquets.During festivals, guests will be served tea.On festive days of guests, the host would welcome guests with puffed rice tea containing walnuts, which have a wonderful aroma and is expectorant, and can moisten lungs.
Fig.4-21 Boiling pot tea
家里来了客人，好客的怒族同胞总喜欢用盐巴茶、漆油茶或酥油茶款待，其中漆油茶被视为上礼，如果谁家未能让客人喝上一口漆油茶，会被认为待客不恭。傈僳族、拉祜族欢迎客人到来的第一件事也是为客人倒茶倒水，傈僳族人民一般用罐罐茶来招待客人。
（四）社交茶礼
布朗族会有“茶请柬”，是传递布朗族社会重大活动信息的一种重要礼仪，收到请柬的人，必须按时参加这项活动；在德昂族生活中茶是非常常见且珍贵的必需品，日常生活中、探亲访友时，见面就是一包“见面礼茶”。当有亲戚或好友来访时，主人会精心奉上迎客茶、敬客茶，客人走时则以送客茶表达对客人的不舍；傣族群众性格温和，走亲拜友必须带上茶叶作为礼品。在傣族的习俗中，把茶叶当礼品馈赠是行大礼，送茶好比送了一件生活之宝；白族在日常人际交往中，茶的应用更是广泛。客人进门，首先要煨“烤茶”来接待宾客。每逢家中有大事或远方来了朋友，白族人民就用“三道茶”来迎客。探亲访友，见面礼就是茶；在景颇族山寨，每当有贵客临门时，主人要到寨门将客人迎进茶房，邀约客人于火塘边就座，主人随即开始烹茶待客。
图4-22 白族三道茶
When guests arrive, hospitable Nu people always like to treat guests with salt tea, lacquer tree seed oil tea or butter tea, among which lacquer tree seed oil tea is regarded as a superior gift.Whoever fails to treat guests with lacquer tree seed oil tea will be considered disrespectful.The first thing Lisu and Lahu people do when they treat their guests is to serve them tea.Lisu people generally treat guests with boiling pot tea.
(IV)Tea Ceremony of Social Contact
There is a“tea invitation card”in Bulang.It is an important etiquette to convey information about important social activities of the Bulang people.Those who receive the invitation card must attend this activity on time.Tea is a very common and precious necessity in the life of the De’ang people.In their daily life, when visiting relatives and friends, a pack of tea would be presented as a“meeting etiquette”; When relatives or good friends arrive, the host would carefully serve tea to greet and respect guests.When the guests leave, they would express their disappointment with the farewell tea.The Dai people are gentle.They would bring tea as a gift when visiting relatives and friends.In Dai customs, presenting tea is the most solemn of ceremonies.Tea is a treasure of living.Tea is widely used in daily interpersonal communication of Bai people.If guests arrive,“baked tea”would be stewed to treat them.Whenever there is a big event at home or with friends from afar, Bai people welcome guests with“three-cup tea”.Tea is the gift for visiting relatives and friends.In Jingpo villages, whenever there are honored guests, the host would welcome the guests at the village gate and then lead the guests into the tea room, invite them to sit by the fire pit, and the host will then start to brew the tea to entertain the guests.
Fig.4-22 Bai’s three-cup tea