On May 19, the first Beijing Chaoyang International Tea Culture Festival kicked off at Junwangfu Hotel in Beijing. Jointly organized by Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, China Media Group Headquarters in Beijing, China Tea Marketing Association (CTMA) and Chaoyang District People's Government of Beijing Municipality, the event featured a plethora of tea-related activities at Junwangfu Hotel and along the banks of the Liangma River.

The event was attended by many personalities, including spouses of ambassadors to China, representatives of international enterprises, representatives of CTMA, skillful inheritors of intangible cultural heritage items, and representatives of well-known tea enterprises. Attendees gained new insights into the tea culture of Chaoyang from a close distance, contributing to the global communication and exchanges associated with the Chinese tea culture.

The opening ceremony [Photo via the host]

Junwangfu Hotel was the main venue for the event, offering immersive and scenario-based tea experiences for citizens. The main venue encompassed an exhibition area of the history and culture of tea, an area for tea culture-themed experiences and exchanges, an area selling the products of tea culture, among others. In a special area featuring Yunnan Province, residents in the capital city were able to experience the authentic tea culture of Yunnan without going to the province in person.

The exhibition area of the history and culture of tea [Photo by Zhang Hexuan]

Tea utensils [Photo by Zhang Hexuan]

Tea utensils [Photo by Zhang Hexuan]

A photo taken at a venue of the event [Photo by Zhang Hexuan]

A photo taken during a performance at Junwangfu Hotel [Photo by Zhang Hexuan]

"I think everything tonight was really interesting. I not only tried different types of tea, but also learned the history and profound history behind it. I also participated in the 'tea cooking' process in the Song Dynasty. The tea master showed me how the tea-making process works. It was like watching a painter creating on a canvas. I saw the color changes in the tea leaves, and it was an amazing way to deepen my understanding of Chinese tea culture," said Wahed Ahmadzai, a young entrepreneur from Afghanistan.

The Tea Culture Consumption Map of Chaoyang was also released at the opening ceremony. According to a consumer index report of tea culture in Chaoyang District released on May 18, Chaoyang ranks first in Beijing with the highest number of traditional tea houses and innovative tea drink shops.

(Source: CRI Online)