China cultural center hosts salon to promote tea culture in Fiji

Tea art specialists perform a traditional Chinese tea ceremony during the "Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon" in Suva, Fiji, May 20, 2023. A tea cultural event was held in Suva, capital of Fiji, on Saturday, enabling the island nation's people to get a taste of Chinese tea and tea culture. (Photo by Sang Qinlong/Xinhua)

SUVA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A tea cultural event was held in Suva, capital of Fiji, on Saturday, enabling the island nation's people to get a taste of Chinese tea and tea culture.

The event included a traditional tea ceremony, a tea art performance and other activities like music, paper-cut art and photography exhibition.

Entitled "Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon," the event was organized by the China Cultural Center in Fiji, Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, as well as Fiji-China Friendship Association.

Yaji, literally "gathering of elegance," was a common way for ancient Chinese literati to enjoy a collective cultural life.

China is the hometown of tea, said Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhou Jian. "Chinese tea culture has promoted the exchanges and mutual learning of different civilizations."

The ambassador said China advocates for countries around the world to transcend civilization barriers through exchanges, rise above civilization conflicts by mutual learning, and overcome the sense of superiority by promoting coexistence of civilizations.

The event was held on the occasion of the upcoming International Tea Day on May 21. The day aims to "raise awareness about the importance of tea in poverty eradication and make significant contributions to the preservation of human heritage and the promotion of dialogue between civilizations," said Han Xiaoyan, director of the China Cultural Center in Fiji.

Katriena Wong, a Fijian girl who once studied in China, told Xinhua that she loves Chinese tea very much. "Tea helps you rest your heart and have a pause in your life," Wong said.

The Chinese people often say "to make friends with tea," she said. "Likewise, Kava is an important social activity and ceremonial drink in Fiji, representing the hospitality and friendliness of the Fijian people."

Wong said she hopes students who have studied in China could use tea and Kava as a medium to enhance exchanges of Chinese and Fijian cultures, and contribute more to China-Fiji friendship. 

People prepare to taste Chinese tea during the "Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon" in Suva, Fiji, May 20, 2023. A tea cultural event was held in Suva, capital of Fiji, on Saturday, enabling the island nation's people to get a taste of Chinese tea and tea culture. (Photo by Sang Qinlong/Xinhua)