Late last year, the oil tea of the Yao ethnic group was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as part of traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China.

"China's traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices entail the knowledge, skills and practices around tea plantation management, tea-leaf picking, manual processing, drinking and sharing," according to the UNESCO citation.

"Tea is ubiquitous in the Chinese people's daily life ... The practice of greeting guests and building relationships within families and among neighbors through tea-related activities is common to multiple ethnic groups, providing a sense of shared identity and continuity for the communities," it said.

Zhou himself runs a business that helps to preserve the Yao tea tradition and promote it at home and abroad.

"We can churn out up to 10 tons of fresh oil tea products a day," he said, adding that latest efforts to ride modern consumer trends, especially among the young, include bottled, ready-to-drink products and instant mixes.

"We also try to increase our presence beyond the tea's traditional home, taking part in exhibitions, exchanges and related events, to promote its benefits to more people," Zhou said.

"We're looking at having shops in major cities like Beijing and Shenzhen, so that consumers can taste the tea for themselves and learn about its benefits."

Potential for the tea abroad includes markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, with export and halal dietary certifications for consumers there already in place, Zhou said.

"Oil tea is part of our rich heritage and we want everyone to appreciate and enjoy it like us," he said.