A Study of Cross-Cultural Exchange and International Communication Strategies for Guangxi Tea

This chapter examines the historical development and contemporary expression of Liupao tea culture in Malaysia as a case of cultural circulation between Guangxi and Southeast Asia. Drawing on the historical accounts, reported practitioner perspectives and documented exchanges presented in the manuscript, it traces the movement of Liupao tea from the period of Chinese labour migration to its subsequent incorporation into everyday consumption and its more recent revival. Attention is given to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh and Malacca, where tea houses, community networks and storage practices illustrate different dimensions of cultural continuity. The chapter also considers Malaysia’s distinctive “Dama Cang” warehousing tradition, the coexistence of aged-tea collection and ordinary consumption, and innovation among younger tea practitioners. Exchanges between Chinese and Malaysian organisations, including the inaugural Malaysia International Liupao Tea Culture Festival, are discussed in relation to cultural transmission and industry cooperation. The synthesis highlights the intermediary role of Chinese communities, the significance of locally adapted practices and the contribution of professional associations and intergenerational learning. It further examines proposed pathways for collaboration and wider dissemination across ASEAN, while recognising that approaches developed in Malaysia require adaptation to other national settings. The Malaysian experience therefore offers a context-specific illustration of how historical migration, social practice and commercial exchange intersect in the international circulation of a regional tea tradition.