Young people and the journey of "keeping the flame" of Vietnamese tea culture alive.

VHO - Recently, in Hanoi, the Ai Tra workshop attracted the attention of many young people who love traditional culture. This experiential space offers a fresh approach, where milk tea is not just a familiar drink, but also becomes a "language" to express emotions and connect with Vietnamese tea heritage in a youthful and creative way.

Tea lady Trang Nguyen shares her thoughts on Vietnamese tea culture.

With the support of tea expert Trang Nguyen and the SHANSEN brand, the "Love for Tea" workshop , organized by a group of students from the Faculty of Communication and Foreign Cultural Relations ( Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam), opened up a special space where the younger generation's love for the ancient Shan Tuyet tea heritage was deeply awakened.

Ai Tra is not simply an ordinary bubble tea workshop. It's a journey of discovery , a space to rekindle love for Vietnamese tea heritage – a cultural essence deeply intertwined with the lives of Vietnamese people for generations.

Instead of dryly preserving tradition in an outdated way, Ai Tra chooses a modern approach, using the language of emotion and love through delicious cups of milk tea, so that the ancient story of Shan Tuyet tea is retold in a very new and relatable way for today's youth.

Attendees personally participated in the tea-making process.

At the workshop, attendees heard tea expert Trang Nguyen share firsthand about the "beauty" of Vietnamese tea heritage, along with the meticulous process of creating authentic cups of ancient Shan Tuyet tea. Every gesture in the tea-making ceremony, from selecting each tea bud, the brewing method, to the steeping time, was performed with great care and respect.

Through this, young people understand that Vietnamese tea is not just an agricultural product, but also a cultural story spanning centuries, embodying the essence of Vietnam's land and sky.

Following the presentation, participants had the opportunity to prepare their own bubble tea, a popular drink among young people today. Each person was guided to adjust the sweetness and flavor according to their emotions and the message they wanted to convey.

Some people make it as a gift for their best friend, some use a cup of bubble tea as a "bridge" to express their feelings, and some make it for themselves as a way to listen to and appreciate themselves.

It is in the very moment of brewing tea with one's own hands, savoring the aroma from ancient tea buds nurtured by the mountain winds and mists, that Vietnamese tea ceases to be a distant concept. Heritage becomes something familiar and deeply connected to the souls of young people, approached in a gentle, natural, yet emotionally resonant way.

Holding the recipe in their hands, each person becomes a storyteller through a cup of tea.

Tran Thanh Thao, a student from Tay Ho High School, shared: “I love tea and wanted to learn more about Vietnamese tea, so I registered for the workshop. Foreign milk teas are increasingly entering the market, sometimes causing us to forget about Vietnamese tea. This workshop helped me understand more deeply about the tea of ​​my homeland.”

Tea lady Trang Nguyen has spent seven years working in the ancient Shan Tuyet tea region of Suoi Giang (Yen Bai) and is currently an expert in conducting tea ceremonies at national-level diplomatic events. However, she remains concerned that the younger generation of Vietnamese people, who will be the future owners of this heritage, are gradually forgetting the intimate value of Vietnamese tea.

"I hope the Ai Tra project can contribute to preserving and promoting Vietnamese tea culture, and especially reach young people in a younger, more accessible way," she expressed.

The young people enjoyed the activities in the workshop.

Many young people participating in the workshop also admitted that they never thought they could love Vietnamese tea so much, until they had the opportunity to brew and enjoy a cup of milk tea made from ancient tea trees.

As they savored the flavor of centuries-old tea buds growing in the misty clouds of Suoi Giang, they realized that Vietnamese values ​​still exist in the seemingly simplest things.

Le Ha Nhi, a student at the Diplomatic Academy, said: “What impressed me first was how professionally and creatively the project was communicated. That's what made me curious and eager to participate. When I arrived at the workshop, I was even more surprised because everything was meticulously organized, from the space to the way the knowledge was conveyed.”

“In particular, the experience of enjoying and learning about Vietnamese teas has been very profound for me. Through the sharing of tea master Trang Nguyen, I understand more about the meticulousness in the tea-making process, as well as the cultural values ​​that Vietnamese tea is preserving. I feel that I am approaching the heritage in a more intimate way, not at all dry or boring, but very inspiring and easy to understand,” Nhi shared.

This workshop partly demonstrates that young people have not forgotten their cultural heritage. On the contrary, they are the creative bridge between the past and the future, those who dare to innovate, who dare to retell old stories in a familiar, sincere, and emotionally resonant language.

Ai Tra has been sowing the seeds of love so that every young Vietnamese person can proudly say that Vietnamese culture lives within them, starting with a sip of tea.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/nguoi-tre-va-hanh-trinh-giu-lua-van-hoa-tra-viet-141509.html