As May 21 marked International Tea Day, the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. hosted the Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon to showcase China’s traditional tea culture through tea ceremonies, arts, and music.

Students from Shenandoah University performed the fan dance and several traditional Chinese songs. The Chinese artist also showcased the famous marionette performance originated from Quanzhou, Fujian, a world-renowned tea-producing province in China.

Chargé d’affaires of Chinese Embassy Xu Xueyuan said tea is a symbol of the friendship between China and the U.S., witnessing the normalization of the China-U.S. relationship since 1972 when Fujian’s Da Hong Pao tea was first gifted to former U.S. President Richard Nixon.

Tea has a long history and is one of the top three major plant-based beverages around the world. In 2022, UNESCO recognized traditional Chinese tea processing techniques and associated social practices as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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