Did you know that tea, the most popular drink in the world (after water), was invented by accident? Many people believe that tea was first drunk about 5,000 years ago. It is said that a Chinese ruler called Shen Nong was the first to discover tea as a drink. One day Shen None was boiling drinking water over an open fire. Some leaves from a tea plant fell into the water and remained there for some time. It produced a nice smell so he tasted the brown water. It was quite delicious, and so, one of the world’s favorite drinks was invented.

A few thousand years later, Lu Yu, “the saint of tea”, mentioned Shen Nong in his book Cha Jing . The book describes how tea plants were grown and used to make tea. It also discusses where the finest tea leaves were produced and what kinds of water were used.

It is believed that tea was brought to Korea and Japan during the 6th and 7th centuries. In England, tea didn’t appear until around 1660, but in less than 100 years, it had become the national drink. The tea trade from China to Western countries took place in the 19th century. This helped to spread the popularity of tea and the tea plant to more places around the world. Even though many people now know about tea culture. The Chinese are without doubt the ones who best understand the nature of tea.

Dancing Lions

This time of year, you might see lions dancing in the street as drums beat heavily. These aren’t real lions. They’re dancers in colorful clothes, celebrating a centuries-old tradition in China. People perform lion dances because they hope to bring good luck in the coming year. In many Asian countries, the new year is celebrated with the new moon that take places in late January or early February.

Usually, a lion is made up of two dancers. One dancer controls the head, the other controls the tail. There are many different kinds of lion dances. The most wonderful moment might be jumping on high poles. “I think of it as a sport,” says Anthony Huang, 15, a dancer at New York City’s Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club. Anthony has performed as the lion’s tail, but this is his first year controlling the head, which can weigh 20 pounds. The challenges are co-working with the other members in the group and following the music with the heavy head. It’s important for Anthony to pass on this historical dance form.

“I feel like this tradition really represents me,” he says.

Lion dances were once performed mostly by males. These days, the activity has become more inclusive (包容广阔的).

LionDanceMe is a group in San Francisco, California. On its dance teams, boys and girls work together. Sixteen-year-old Ananda Tang-Lee is a member. She used to see boys performing the lion dancing when she was little. She says, “But anyone can take it up. You have to believe in yourself, and have confidence that you can do it.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic (新冠肺炎疫情), LionDanceMe didn’t give up performing. Instead, the group showed its performances online. This has got the dance group even more excited to perform in person again, when it’s safe.

“It’s a different performance in real life,” says Isabella Yu, 16, who plays drums, “We bring a lot more than just the performance. We bring energy and excitement, too.”

Lion dancing will likely continue to develop gradually. But one thing that will never change is the sense of community among team members. “It’s really great, because we always have each other’s backs.” Ananda says, “We call it a family.”

Zang Chaiyuan has recently been working deep into the night because people are lined up for her steamed buns(馒头). The 25-year-old girl from Yantai, East China’s Shandong Province, has turned flour(面粉) into a gold mine(矿) by putting modern elements(元素) into “Jiaodong huabobo”, a popular traditional food dating back more than 300 years. Huabobo is a flower-shaped steamed bun, which has been a treat at many folk(民俗的) activities, such as celebrations and festivals. The buns are shaped by Zang’s hands. These shapes are from cute rabbits to treasure bowls and lucky bags.

However, Zang’s parents didn’t agree with her to open a huabobo shop at the beginning. They believed young people should find a steady(稳定的) job, like being a teacher. They also thought bun making was better for more elderly women. However, Zang wanted to start up her own business. She found that there was a great need for huabobo. Besides, she loved huabobo in her childhood. With a little more than 10,000 yuan of her own savings, Zang opened her first small huabobo shop in Yantai in 2020. As her skills increased, sales in her shop has been on the rise. She opened a second shop in downtown Yantai two years later. And this time her parents came to help her.

Zang is glad that more young people show great interest in the traditional craft(手艺). “Now that my grandmother is gone, I want to make this passion my career and keep on doing it,” Zang says. “I also love traditional Chinese culture and believe that the craft of making huabobo is worth promoting.”