6. Three tea courses of Bai ethnic group

The three tea courses are a special way of tea serving etiquette of the Bai ethnic group in Yunnan province. Originating from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it has been an important tradition during special occasions such as weddings, funerals and festivals.

First boil water and warm the teapot on a gentle fire. After the pot gets hot, put the tea leaves inside and rotate the pot to make the tea leaves warm evenly. When the tea leaves become yellow, pour the boiling water into the pot. The first course of tea usually smells fragrant while tastes bitter. The second course will include sugar and the Dairy Fan, which makes it sweet. Finally, the third course will include ginger, cinnamon and honey, creating a rich aftertaste. The three courses imply the life philosophy of first bitter, second sweet and finally colorful.

The tea practice was listed within the national intangible cultural heritages in 2014, and was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity along with other traditional tea processing techniques and their associated social practices in China in 2022.