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

Author(s)
Dr. Xiaopeng Zhang
College of Foreign Studies, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China.

Ms. Huofeng Tang
College of Foreign Studies, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China.

Ms. Limin Chen
College of Foreign Studies, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China.

ISBN 978-81-17350-91-1 (Print)
ISBN 978-81-17350-90-4 (eBook)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-81-17350-91-1

Tea, originating in China and flourishing across the world, has written an enduring epic of cross-cultural exchange through its warmth and mellow richness. Within this epic, the story of Guangxi tea is both distinctive and deeply moving. Represented by Liupao tea, renowned teas of Guangxi set out from the remote mountains of Cangwu along the “Ancient Tea-Boat Waterway,” passing through the Xi River, Guangzhou, and onward to Southeast Asia, where they took root in Malaysia and other places, becoming a repository of nostalgia and a symbol of cultural identity for overseas Chinese. This century-spanning journey of dissemination is at once a history of tea trade, a history of cultural exchange, and a history of the struggles of overseas Chinese.

Looking back from 2026, Liupao tea has encountered historic opportunities: its crafting techniques were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; it was included in the “Belt and Road” Geographical Indication Brand Promotion List; the National Geographical Indication Protection Demonstration Zone was approved; and the Regulations on the Development of Liupao Tea in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region officially came into effect. These milestones mark Guangxi tea’s elevation from local knowledge to a shared cultural heritage of humanity, and its advance from “overseas Chinese tea” toward “world tea.”

Yet opportunities coexist with challenges. In the international market, Guangxi tea faces such problems as fragmented brands, scattered communication, inconsistent translation, a shortage of talent, and an insufficiently internationalized industrial chain. How to transform cultural communication strengths into momentum for industrial development, how to connect the entire industrial chain from “tea garden” to “tea cup,” and how to make the story of Guangxi tea understood, accepted, and cherished by the world-these tasks require systematic academic support.

It is precisely in response to this practical need that this book takes Guangxi tea (with Liupao tea as its core, while also considering Xishan tea and Qintang Maojian) as its research object. Grounded in the dual dimensions of “cross-cultural exchange” and “international communication,” it constructs a trinity research framework of “historical context-theoretical interpretation-strategic construction.” The book follows the logic of “historical retrospect-theoretical perspective-current situation review-strategic construction-in-depth case study-future outlook.” It designs internationalization strategies from four dimensions: brand building, communication innovation, discourse transformation, and industrial support. It further takes Malaysia as an in-depth case to analyze the century-old inheritance and contemporary innovation of Liupao tea, and finally proposes optimization paths and a phased roadmap. The concluding chapter, taking “tea as a medium” as its main thread, envisions the unique contribution of tea culture to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The writing of this book has drawn on the dedication and wisdom of many. During fieldwork, we traveled deep into Liubao Town in Cangwu, Guangxi; Xishan in Guiping; the jasmine tea production area in Hengxian; and Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, and Malacca in Malaysia. We visited dozens of tea farmers, tea merchants, inheritors, and tea culture enthusiasts. Their enthusiastic sharing provided us with valuable first-hand materials.

We extend special thanks to several Chinese tea industry institutions in Malaysia for their insightful perspectives and warm assistance, which gave us a deeper understanding of the century-old inheritance of Liupao tea in Malaysia. We thank the relevant institutions of Wuzhou Municipality and Cangwu County for their strong support during our fieldwork. We also thank the documentary Tea Boat Ancient Route, jointly produced by Guangxi Radio and Television Station and Wuzhou Media Convergence Center, as well as the book Tea Boat Ancient Route published by Lijiang Publishing House, both of which provided important references for the historical research of this book.

The writing and publication of this book received strong support from the College of Foreign Studies (College of International Education), Guilin University of Technology. The college leadership consistently followed the progress of this book and provided a sound academic environment and resource guarantees for the research. Colleagues’ discussions and inspirations at different stages helped refine the theoretical framework of this book. I hereby express my sincere gratitude.

I am especially grateful to Guilin Jinghua Education Technology Co., Ltd. for its generous funding for the publication of this book. As an enterprise dedicated to education and cultural undertakings, Jinghua Education Technology Co., Ltd. has a profound understanding of and identification with the value of international communication of tea culture. This support not only ensured the smooth publication of this book but also reflects the enterprise’s sense of social responsibility for inheriting and developing fine traditional Chinese culture.

Finally, I thank the readers who are about to open this book. Whether you are a tea culture enthusiast, an academic researcher, an industry practitioner, or a policymaker, your attention and reading are the greatest affirmation of this book. Should there be any omissions or deficiencies, I sincerely welcome readers’ corrections and suggestions.

Standing in the spring of 2026, the future path of Guangxi tea is full of infinite possibilities. May this book contribute its modest strength to the internationalization of Guangxi tea. May the mellow fragrance of the Ancient Tea-Boat Waterway drift to ever more distant places. May Chinese tea culture shine with even greater brilliance on the world stage.