Guizhou cili tea blends tradition with innovation at Beijing tea expo

A charming fusion of tea and cultural heritage caught visitors' attention at a recently concluded tea expo at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. Guizhou cili (Rosa roxburghii) tea, a blend made by combining tea with a vitamin-rich local fruit, made its debut at the national-level exhibition alongside handmade dolls inspired by the traditional costumes of the ethnic groups in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

Rosa roxburghii, known as cili in Chinese, is a native Guizhou fruit renowned for its exceptionally high vitamin C content, which can be dozens of times that of lemons.

Wei Xianting, general manager of the Guizhou Elegant Cross-border Tea Company, said she and her team began developing this product back in 2018 with the aim of bringing the distinctive local fruit into the wider tea market.

The tea is made by removing the seeds and core of nearly ripe fruits and then filling it with black or Pu'er tea. The filled fruits are then slowly roasted at a low temperature for hours, creating a distinctive fruit-filled tea similar in concept to tangerine-peel-stuffed Pu'er tea.

Beyond its distinctive flavor and ingredients, the product also serves as a vehicle for promoting Guizhou's intangible cultural heritage. At exhibitions and promotional events both at home and abroad, the company pairs its tea with handmade dolls dressed in the traditional Miao, Bouyei and Dong ethnic costumes. Each doll holds a Guizhou cili, while the tea packaging also features these ethnic-inspired figures.

Wei said the idea is to use tea as a bridge to bring Guizhou's traditional cultural elements to a wider audience and help them reach international markets alongside the local tea industry.

The product has also expanded beyond China's domestic market, with online sales reaching overseas consumers, including those in Russia, Singapore, France and Italy.