On 23 May 2024, the Chinese Embassy in the UK hosted Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon. H.E. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang and his wife, Counsellor Hua Mei, invited over 30 guests to taste specialty teas from Hubei Province, China, appreciate Chinese art performances, experience Chinese calligraphy, and enjoy the charm of cultural exchange between China and other countries.
In their remarks, Ambassador Zheng and Counsellor Hua Mei highlighted that China is the birthplace of tea, with 43 tea processing techniques and related customs listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Since ancient times, China has had a tradition of treating guests with tea and making friends over tea. Chinese tea culture embodies the philosophy of "harmony between nature and humanity" and "modesty and etiquette." The Chinese tea industry plays a crucial role in protecting the ecological environment, achieving poverty alleviation, and promoting economic and social development. Hubei Province has a long history of tea cultivation and trade. In recent years, Hubei’s tea industry has seen rapid growth, and the province has been active in international exchange of tea culture. China will continue to use tea as a vehicle to promote international cooperation in the tea industry, advance international exchange of tea culture, and enhance the friendship between the people globally. Friends from all walks of life in the UK are welcome to visit China and Hubei for sightseeing, taste fine teas in Hubei, experience Chinese tea culture, and advance exchange and cooperation between China and the UK and beyond.


At the event, guests were treated with three Hubei speciality teas, namely Enshi Yulu green tea, Yihong black tea, and Green Brick team, introduced to the history and culture of Chinese tea, and presented with live demonstration and explanation of Chinese calligraphy. They enjoyed the bianzhong and xiao ensemble piece Three Stanzas of Plum-blossoms, and classical guitar performance of Camel Bells Along the Silk Road and Xinjiang Fantasy.
May 21 of 2024 marks the fifth International Tea Day, and this date is also the anniversary of the inscription of "Traditional Chinese Tea-Making Techniques and Associated Customs" on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
