China is the birthplace of tea in the world, and Chinese tea has made significant contributions to the health of all mankind. Back then, along with the Silk Road, goods from all over Central Asia were naturally indispensable, including Chinese tea. Uzbekistan is located on the ancient Silk Road, and cities such as Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand became prosperous cities known for their trade. With the Silk Road purchasing goods throughout Central Asia, of course tea is also inseparable. This ancient oriental drink quickly conquered the taste buds of the Uzbeks, who developed a unique tea ceremony based on the Chinese way of drinking tea and spread it to the Gulf region.
Today, tea has become the main drink of Uzbeks, with per capita annual consumption of more than 2.5 kilograms, far exceeding China’s per capita tea consumption. In 2021, Uzbekistan imported $61.4M in Tea, becoming the 33rd largest importer of Tea in the world. At the same year, Tea was the 100th most imported product in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan imports Tea primarily from: China ($42.4M), Sri Lanka ($4.59M), Kenya ($3.96M), United Arab Emirates ($2.61M), and Russia ($1.9M). The fastest growing import markets in Tea for Uzbekistan between 2020 and 2021 was China ($8.71M).
Tea consumption habits in Uzbekistan
Uzbeks generally do not add sugar or milk to tea, but often add various herbs and spices, which is different from other countries. Most people here drink black tea and chun mee green tea, and they mostly like to drink hot tea. In their opinion, only hot tea can fully distribute and present the aroma and deliciousness of tea. Teahouses can be found almost everywhere in Uzbekistan.
The uniqueness of the Uzbek tea ceremony: no tea cups, only bowls
Chinese people like to call Uzbekistan’s tea ceremony simply “Uzbek tea ceremony”. The choice of tea utensils for the Uzbek tea ceremony is quite special. Teapots and tea bowls are the favorites of Uzbeks. Uzbek people do not drink tea from cups, but from bowls.
Three bowls of tea
Different from the “seven bowls of tea” in the Chinese tea ceremony, Uzbek people pay attention to the three-bowl tea ceremony when drinking tea. After the tea is brewed, they do not serve the tea to the guests first, but first pour the tea into the tea bowl three times, and then pour the tea in the bowl into the teapot and swirl it around. Sanjar, a historian in Uzbekistan, said that this ceremony contains multiple cultural connotations. The first bowl of tea turned around represents a tribute to the clay, because they believe that the first humans were made of clay. The second bowl represents fat. It is with animal and vegetable oil that Uzbeks cook delicious traditional foods such as pilaf. The last bowl really represents tea. After all, three bowls are poured into the teapot, everyone can start drinking. Uzbekistanis also believe that the three bowls of tea poured into the teapot have the effects of quenching thirst, driving away cold (or expelling things that are dangerous to the body) and reducing fire.
As a sign of hospitality, the host will pour himself a bowl and drink it dry before drinking tea. This practice may confuse the guests, but it proves that the tea is not poisoned and the host is willing to “do it first as a courtesy”. When serving tea to guests, you must use your right hand. The bowl should be filled half-full each time and the tea bowl should not be filled to the full.
Uzbek style tea
Uzbek people drink tea without adding sugar or milk. They pay attention to nature, health, and deliciousness. They like to add spices and plants to the tea. The original chun mee green tea is a little astringent and bitter in the mouth. They will fill the tea table with almonds, pistachios, and various preserved fruits. With these refreshments, the tea will instantly have a richer taste. In cities, people like to sit around teahouses by the pool for their afternoon tea break.
Uzbek people love tea and invented a teapot warm cover specifically for enjoying tea. The unique teapot cover is sewn with canvas, embroidery, gold thread and cotton batting to keep the tea warm. The teapot cover with tassels looks like a pillow from a distance. Only the locals know that there is a pot of good tea hidden inside. In Bukhara, when the weather is hot in spring, summer and autumn, locals will add mint and lemon to the tea to enjoy herbal tea soaked in the aroma of plants. As time goes by, Uzbek people have continuously integrated local customs based on traditional Chinese tea culture, forming their own unique tea culture, which they have continued to carry forward. Along the Silk Road, it spread to Yemen at the end of the Arabian Peninsula, allowing more and more ethnic groups to perceive the charm of tea.
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