'Keeping the flame alive' for the traditional tea processing craft.

In the context of integration and development, mechanization has become an important lever helping farmers increase labor productivity. However, amidst the hustle and bustle of modern machinery, traditional manual processing methods still assert their position in creating specialty tea products.

Handcrafted tea processing at the Huong Van Tea Cooperative Cultural Space.

Stepping into the Huong Van Tea Cooperative's cultural space, located right in the heart of Thai Nguyen province in late March, anyone can feel a completely different atmosphere. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of urban life, the space here seems to freeze in the rich aroma of young rice, the delicate fragrance of spring flowers and grasses emanating from freshly harvested spring tea buds. This is the space of the handcrafted tea-making competition – a gathering place for the most skilled artisans from the renowned Tan Cuong specialty tea region.

The scenes here evoke a golden age of traditional tea-making. Beside heated cast-iron pans, artisans with bare hands skillfully turn each tea bud. Delicate wisps of smoke create a genuine and vivid experience for participants. The tea-making competition here is not simply a showcase of top-tier handcrafted techniques, but a journey back to the cultural roots of the tea-producing region.

Behind this culturally significant event lies the dedication and concern of those leading the collective economic model. Sharing her thoughts at the competition, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong Van, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Director of Huong Van Tea Cooperative, could not hide her emotion.

She affirmed that while mechanization increases production, it is the hands, sweat, and delicate sensibility of the artisans that create the "essence" of a cup of specialty tea. The Huong Van Tea Cooperative organized the competition with the hope of preserving a traditional craft that is in danger of disappearing. This is an opportunity to express gratitude and honor the farmers and artisans who have dedicated their lives to tea cultivation.

In fact, organizing competitions like the one at Huong Van Tea Cooperative has opened up an attractive cultural interaction space, transforming the production process into a unique experiential tourism product. Many tourists come here not only to enjoy tea, but also to witness and directly participate in each stage of the processing.

Awards were presented to the winning teams at Huong Van Tea Cooperative.

Standing before the handcrafted tea roasting pans, fashion designer Xuan Thu from Hanoi shared her artistic perspective: "From a creative standpoint, I see in those hands flipping and stirring a kind of art of arrangement and performance. The meticulousness, patience, and sophistication of the artisans in crafting a tea leaf is similar to how we weave and embroider a high-end fashion piece."

Emily Tran, a Vietnamese expatriate returning from the US, shared: "Having lived abroad for many years, I've always longed to rediscover the flavors of my homeland. Participating in this experience, smelling the familiar aroma of tea being roasted in the pan, I felt like I was transported back to my childhood."

Highly appreciating the model and initiatives of Huong Van Tra Cooperative, Mr. Nguyen My Hai, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Thai Nguyen province, commented: Maintaining and encouraging handicraft processing competitions in cooperatives is a very creative and practical way to preserve traditional craft heritage.

Through these activities, the tangible value of tea products, as well as the intangible status of tea cultivation in Thai Nguyen province, continues to be strengthened and honored. This is entirely consistent with the goal of increasing the added value of agricultural products, while simultaneously spreading tea culture widely, becoming a soft power contributing to the overall socio-economic development of the entire province.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202603/giu-lua-nghe-sao-che-thu-cong-5783373/