The Serving of “Three Infusions of Tea”to Guests

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The “three infusions of tea”is said to be originated from the State of Dali, the Duan’s dynasty in Yunnan. This etiquette was carried out incisively and vividly by people of Bai when entertaining their guests. Each infusion of tea of the Bai tribe people all has its own philosophic connotation of life, which really is the grandest etiquette to treat their guests of the Bai tribe people.

The so called “three infusions of tea”were the three times of tea serving to the guests by the host. Usually, when guests arrived, the host would put a sand-pot on the charcoal fire and put a suitable amount of green tea into it, shaking it continuously. When tea presented a yellowish color and emanated fragrance, the host would pour a small amount of boiling water into it, and the tea was done immediately when the sizzling sound was heard.A moment later, the host would pour out the tea the first infusion tea of the Bai tribe people.

The girl behaved solemnly when serving tea to the guest, usually with the two hands holding the cup as high as the eyebrow and saying “please”, and then handed teacup to the guest. This first infusion tea was very bitter, indicating that a person in his youth must be able to live a rough life and have the courage to open up his own career.

Then, filling the sand-pot with water again, together with some sugar and walnut meat etc, the host put this sand-pot on the fire to stew for a while and the second infusion tea came out. This second infusion tea was sweet and had nutlet in it, meaning that entering the middle age a person began to harvest after a long time of efforts, and the life became happy and comfortable.

The third infusion tea was called “fragrant tea”, which was made by putting some bits of milk slices and sugar in it. This infusion of tea was insipid and fragrant, meaning that after a person was aged he should belittle all the things in his life.