Many foreign learners like drinking Chinese tea when they come to learn Chinese in China. But they should know there are many kinds of etiquettes in drinking tea. Three-course Tea Etiquette of Bai people is one of the famous etiquettes that the learners should know. The three courses are bitter, sweet and aftertaste. It has been popular as early as in Ming Dynasty.
The first course of the Three-course Tea is the bitter tea. When you come to study Chinese in China, you can see Bai people bake the Tuo Tea in Dali with terrine on the fire pit until turn yellow and give out the fragrance. Then Bai people make it by pouring the boiling water. Students who study Mandarin in China should know Chinese people think the full tea in the cup shows no respect to people. Therefore, the first course of tea should be served with half cup. It is made by adding some condiments like milk fan, walnut and brown sugar, making it sweet but not greasy.
The last course is the aftertaste tea, which is made by adding honey and little pepper, ginger or cassia. If you ever tasted it when you learn Chinese in China, you would taste some spicy flavor. If you didn’t, try some.