An event “Tea for Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon and Anhui Cultural and Tourism Promotion” took place on Tuesday to promote Anhui Province in central China as a major producer of teas and a popular tourist destination.
Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song, Nepal’s Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang, Deputy Director of Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism Wang Jing, and Director of Nepal Chinese Cultural Center Xiao Jiang attended and delivered speeches.
Ambassador Chen Song said that Nepal is an important stop on the ancient Tea Horse Road, and the tea trade has witnessed the friendship between China and Nepal for generations. In the mid-19th century, Nepal introduced tea species from China, which opened a new era of local tea cultivation in Nepal. As time passed, tea trees from China took root and grew vigorously in the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Two hundred years later, tea returned to China with the deep friendship of the Nepalese people and won the gold medal in the 2022 World Black Tea Selection. In recent years, thanks to China’s zero-tariff treatment for 98% of Nepalese products, including tea, Nepal’s tea market share in China has continued to increase. At the same time, China’s strong demand has further promoted the development and prosperity of Nepal’s tea industry.
Ambassador Chen Song said that Anhui is one of the major tea-producing areas in China, with a long history of tea culture and rich varieties. “Qimen Black Tea” is known as the “King of Black Tea” for its fresh and ruddy taste. Today, we are here to “meet friends with tea” to experience the charm of tea culture of “harmony in diversity, beauty in harmony”, and we also hope that friends from all walks of life in Nepal will further understand the magnificent natural scenery and brilliant and long cultural history of Anhui through Huangmei Opera performances, tea art displays, calligraphy interactions, tourism promotions, etc. We welcome Nepalese friends to come to Anhui and experience the development, changes and infinite charm of Anhui.
Minister Tamang said that Anhui Province is famous for its Chinese art and cultural heritage, and many historical and cultural attractions have been listed as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Its tea production enjoys a high reputation internationally. Nepal has rich art, cultural heritage and natural resources, and Ilam tea has world-class quality. Anhui and Nepal have great potential for cooperation in cultural exchanges and tourism development. We look forward to enhancing exchanges and cooperation in various fields between the two sides, and we also welcome more Chinese friends to come to Nepal to taste high mountain tea.
Wang Jing said that at the beginning of this year, the “Happy Spring Festival · Beautiful Anhui” art performance came to Nepal. Today, on “International Tea Day”, the Anhui Cultural Tourism Delegation came to Nepal again, using tea as a medium to share the colorful charm of Anhui’s unique tea culture and cultural landscapes, and introduce special tourism routes products such as the Dahuangshan World Heritage Tour and the Anhui Cuisine Food and Health Tour. We sincerely invite more Nepalese friends to visit Anhui, understand Anhui, and fall in love with Anhui.
The heads of the cultural and tourism departments of Suzhou City, Yuexi County of Anqing City, and Tunxi District of Huangshan City respectively promoted the local cultural and tourism resources and tea culture. The guests watched the Anhui cultural and tourism promotional video, tasted the unique Keemun black tea, Huangshan Maofeng, and other famous Anhui teas, and experienced traditional Chinese calligraphy writing. At the promotion meeting, national artists from Anhui Huangmei Opera Theater performed classic Huangmei Opera excerpts such as “Who would have thought that the top scholar in the imperial examination” and “The couple returned home together”, with melodious and graceful melodies, winning applause from the audience.
