Tea, tea culture from central China showcased in Britain

BATH, Britain, May 24 (Xinhua) -- After a tea master elegantly rinsed the teapot and teacups with hot water, brewed the tea and poured it, a dozen of people from across Britain lifted their cups and tasted the tea with great appreciation. And the room was suffused with a refreshing aroma of tea.

The Chinese tea-serving ceremony and tasting took place during the "Tea for Harmony" cultural salon on Friday in the English city of Bath. The salon featured various tea and tea culture from Hubei Province, central China, including black brick tea, Yihong black tea and Enshi Yulu Tea.

"The ceremony, which is quite calm in itself, prepares you to enjoy and also builds up the expectancy," Neil Beer from Wales told Xinhua after experiencing all three kinds of tea. He was especially impressed by the black brick tea because it had "layers in terms of taste."

This marked the first time he was involved in a tea ceremony, which he thought could set a peaceful tempo and slow one's pace down in a world where everything is "rush, grab, drink, go."

"Culture and food are two wonderful ways to bring people together in harmony and friendship, and it is wonderful to be here at such a prominent event to celebrate one of China's most fascinating cultural experiences, which is the tea ceremony," said Dianne Francombe, chief executive officer of the Bristol and West of England China Bureau.

Apart from tea ceremonies and tastings, other performances such as Chinese calligraphy and music played with traditional Chinese instruments were also showcased during the salon.

"Tea culture exchanges between China and Britain have a long history and are inseparable from the communication between China and the world over centuries," Zhang Wenqi, vice chairperson of the Hubei Provincial Tea Association, told Xinhua. He said events like the salon would help the world to know more about Chinese culture as well as the development of tea culture in China.

The "Tea for Harmony" cultural salon is a global event aimed at promoting Chinese tea culture. It is expected to be held in more than 40 places around the world in celebration of this year's International Tea Day, which fell on Tuesday.