Sipping tea, viewing paintings, admiring flowers, listening to the zither... Around the 2023 International Tea Day, people in various countries received an elegant Chinese gift.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in collaboration with international organizations and Chinese embassies and consulates abroad, held "Tea for Harmony with the World" events in 43 countries. These events used various forms, including physical objects, pictures, videos, artistic performances, intangible cultural heritage displays, and interactive exchanges, to attract overseas people to experience the rich and diverse Chinese tea culture.
Using tea as a medium, these events transcended national borders and brought friendships closer. This immersive promotion of Chinese culture has been widely loved.
Breaking down the Chinese character for "tea" (茶) reveals "a person amidst grass and trees" (人在草木间). Tea and harmony with the world not only explain the concept of the unity of nature and humanity but also contain the shared values of the Chinese nation: subtlety, harmony, and the pursuit of peace, perfectly aligning with today's global needs.
China is the first country in the world to cultivate tea trees and produce tea. Tea culture is deeply integrated into Chinese life and has become an important carrier for inheriting Chinese culture. The Silk Road, the Tea Horse Road, and the Ancient Tea Route have spread Chinese tea around the world. These trade routes weren't just about commerce; they were about cultural exchange and sharing a piece of China with the world.
In November 2022, "Traditional Chinese Tea-making Techniques and Related Customs" were added to the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This milestone marked a new opportunity for the inheritance and development of Chinese tea culture.
On May 15th, the "Tea for Harmony with the World" event was launched at Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing. 75 diplomats from 41 countries and international organizations, including 16 ambassadors to China and representatives from 2 international organizations, were invited to participate.
On May 19th, local time, the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations held a series of celebrations for "International Tea Day" at the United Nations Headquarters. More than 100 guests, including the permanent representatives of more than 20 countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Singapore, Belgium, Hungary, Greece, Argentina, and South Africa, participated in the event.
A small tea leaf embodies the wisdom of ancestors and modern people, carries profound cultural connotations, crosses mountains and seas, and conveys shared values.
At the "Tea for Harmony with the World" event held at the China Cultural Center in Madrid, the ancient zither played melodious tunes, the aroma of tea filled the air, and tea artists demonstrated tea-making techniques and served fragrant tea to the audience. One guest said: "Participating in this event not only increased my knowledge about tea but also gave me a deeper understanding of China's values of respecting nature and harmonious coexistence."
On May 6th, at the Hellenic Foundation for Culture, teachers from Beijing's time-honored tea shops explained the classification of Chinese tea and stories of tea culture.
In Athens, Greece, teachers from famous Beijing tea brands gave detailed explanations of Chinese tea culture; at the China Cultural Center in Paris, guests learned about the methods of appreciating tea through smelling the aroma, observing the color, tasting the tea, and admiring the teaware.
The "Tea for Harmony with the World" public open day event held by the Chinese Cultural Center in Laos attracted nearly 600 participants. With lingering interest, audience members wrote their feelings on the message wall: "I will never forget the aroma of this tea," "Tea has given me the idea of going to China," "May the friendship between China and Laos last forever!"
On May 20th, the "Tea for Harmony with the World" public open day event was held at the Chinese Cultural Center in Laos.
Making friends through tea, and gently telling the story of Chinese civilization. The events cleverly combined literature, music, dance, fine arts, martial arts, food, opera, intangible cultural heritage skills and other forms to demonstrate the inheritance and innovation of Eastern aesthetics.
At the event held at the China Cultural Center in Singapore, a young writer from Jiangsu gave a lecture on the theme of "Traveling in Jiangsu with the Aroma of Tea," introducing the story of tea in "Dream of the Red Chamber." The audience also tasted the world-famous Fuchun tea snacks on site.
On May 13th, the "Tea for Harmony with the World" event was held at the China Cultural Center in Singapore.
The Berlin Chinese Cultural Center held an event in the Chinese Garden – "Garden of Delight" in Berlin World Park, where ancient zither teachers used ancient zither music such as "Secluded Orchid" and "Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank" to converse with tea; the Stockholm Chinese Cultural Center specially organized a youth-themed experience event, presenting "Dragon Dance Eighteen Styles" tea art performances, sword performances, Sichuan opera performances...
On May 24th, the event entered the Russian State Duma building. Tea artists from Yunnan brewed different types of tea for the guests, such as Deang ethnic sour tea, Bai ethnic Three-Course Tea, and Pu'er tea. Actors and intangible cultural heritage inheritors displayed Bai ethnic tie-dye, Yi ethnic embroidery, and handmade paper-cutting. People stopped to admire and try their hand at it, reluctant to leave for a long time.
Discussing the Way through tea, the circle of like-minded friends is growing larger and larger.
Sudan Kirati, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal, said that China and Nepal have similar tea culture concepts and regard tea as a symbol of hospitality, warmth, and kindness. Kadsieb, Mayor of Port Louis, Mauritius, introduced that the people of Mauritius love to drink tea, and Chinese green tea and jasmine tea are very popular.
The person in charge of the International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said that in the future, within the framework of the "Cultural Silk Road" plan, a Chinese tea culture promotion plan will be formulated and implemented to tell the story of China and promote exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations.
It is understood that UNESCO will further carry out activities conducive to sustainable production and consumption of tea by studying and protecting traditional techniques and customs related to tea.
The fragrance and charm of tea are long and lasting, and the story of Chinese tea culture continues wonderfully.
