Nanyang Oil Tea originated in the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. The peddler who sells oil tea uses a copper tea pot with a long spout, wrapped with cotton to keep it warm. It is a wonder to pour out the tea: the peddler supports the pot bottom, while the tea is poured from the spout like an arch. Suddenly, the fragrance emanates all around, so the consumers crave for it.

The raw ingredients of the tea include flour, peanuts, sesame, oil, walnut meat, and shallots. It is not only famous in Nanyang, Henan, but also in foreign countries. Before the founding of PRC, students studying in Europe often carried along a long-spout teapot, selling oil tea as a part time job. According to documents, the Chinese restaurants in Paris still regard oil tea as a superior drink.