Panel of delegates giving their presence in Tea For Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon event today in Naxal. (Photo: Riya Shrestha, SATV)

Kathmandu, May 16: "Tea For Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon", was held in Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) on May 16, 2023 by China Cultural Center on Nepal in collaboration with the organisers Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, China International Cultural Association, China National Tourist Office Kathmandu and China National Tea Museum.

The tea ceremonies were accompanied by exhibition of the portraits of Chinese tea culture and development of Chinese tea history while it also had special clay teapot display, tea ceremony and demonstration of tea making along with speeches by honourable guests.

Yaji, in Chinese means " gathering all that is elegant" was a common way for ancient Chinese scholars to collectively enjoy their cultural heritage.

Delegates presented in the exhibition today, learning about the tea culture binding Nepal and China. (Photo: Riya Shrestha, SATV)

The program was honoured by Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal, Sudan Kirati as chief guest.His Excellency, Mr. Chen Song, an ambassador of China to Nepal, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board, Dr. Dhananjay Regmi, Mr. Yao Wangchong, Director of Changsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Deputy Director of Tea and Coffee Development Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Nepal Honourable Mr. Keshar Sitaula were presented in the event as main guest.

Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal, Dr. Sudan Kirati giving his speech in "Tea For Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon" on Tuesday. (Photo: Riya Shrestha, SATV)

Chief guest of the event, Mr. Sudan Kirati said, "China's tea culture has played a role in establishing the relationship between China and the world. Nepal has great potential to cooperate with China in industrial, production, agricultural minerals etc including tea."

His Excellency Mr. Chen Song, ambassador of China to Nepal giving his speech in "Tea For Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon" on Tuesday. (Photo: Riya Shrestha, SATV)

His Excellency Mr. Chen Song, ambassador of China to Nepal reflects on tea history of Nepal and China that more than a thousand years ago, Chinese horses covered in tea crossed Himalayas to Nepal. First tea bushes in Nepal were brought from sea which were given by China to Nepal in 19thC. He congratulates Nepal for securing second position for Quality Tea evaluation competition Organised by China Tea Marketing Association in 2022.

Mr. Song expresses his pleasure to see that tea has been one of the important industries in Nepal and lifted many Nepalese people out of poverty.

Mr. Song informs, "Nepal has increased its presence in Chinese market. We offer zero tarrif treatment of 98 percent of taxable products of Nepal which even includes tea. We welcome Nepal to export more quality products" .

The program was also to mark the " International Tea Day", which is due on May 21, 2023 by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in China.

With the inscription of " The Traditional Tea Processing Techniques and Associated Social Practices in China" onto the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on November 29, 2022 millennia, the millennia old tea culture had gained renewed worldwide attention.

Tea is not only a vehicle for the Chinese belief in the harmony between human and nature, but also an important bond connecting China and the rest of the world.

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