Tea House at the museum

Tran Cong Danh - the young owner of the Tra Su tea house within the museum grounds - Photo: L.D.L.

There, my friend, a master's graduate in finance, not only ran a business but also transformed it into a destination showcasing Vietnamese culture and tea to tourists. (Laughs)

- For Vietnamese people, tea is not unfamiliar at all, if not very common. I've been connected to tea since I was very young, through my family's daily life, so I have a habit of drinking tea every day, iced tea for example.

Having had the opportunity to visit many tea-growing regions across the country, including mountainous areas that preserve traces of tea plants and the history of Vietnamese tea, I am grateful for and appreciate the cultural traditions of our ancestors. I want to do something to contribute to spreading the positive values ​​of tea.

TRAN CONG DANH

My connection with tea

Having studied in the West and being quite young, Danh choosing tea as his companion seems a bit surprising, doesn't it?

- Those unfamiliar with it will surely be surprised. Because tea has become a part of my life, wherever I am, I carry with me countless memories of tea. Gradually, over time and through experiences, I have discovered more about the world of tea, enjoying the relaxing moments when drinking it, and thus actively choosing tea as a source of pleasure in life.

Tea is an ancient and popular beverage worldwide, so tea-drinking customs and practices exist in every culture. Some Western countries have unique and equally famous tea-drinking cultures, such as English afternoon tea and French aristocratic tea. Personally, I perceive my experience with tea as entering a vast cultural world, not confined within any age range or limitations.

* What led you to tea?

- Actually, tea has been ingrained in my subconscious since I was very young. But the story is that I stumbled upon a Vietnamese tea shop while studying in France about ten years ago. The shop was called Salon thé de Mademoiselle Thi (Ms. Thi's Tea Shop).

As a student far from home, stepping into this cafe for the first time, I felt a special sense of familiarity, from the atmosphere and the people to the distinctive flavors of green tea, jasmine tea, lotus tea... I still return whenever I crave the feeling of being home.

Through such experiences, I came closer to the world of tea, beginning to explore and understand more about the flavors, origins, and tea-drinking customs of Vietnamese people that have been preserved while living far from home.

I maintained my tea-drinking habit after returning home, and found like-minded people through various groups, especially meeting many elders and esteemed tea masters with extensive knowledge and experience in tea. Thanks to them, I further strengthened my love for tea and gradually developed it into a valuable cultural experience.

Preserving beautiful cultural traditions.

* What have you gained or lost from befriending tea over the past time?

- It's a bit expensive and time-consuming, some types of tea are very costly (laughs). I'm just joking, but I don't think I'm losing anything. Perhaps it's a bit different from other pleasures when it comes to drinking tea, focusing on both physical and mental health, and improving health to some extent with a natural beverage like tea.

For me personally, tea helps me find inner peace. More broadly, I see it as giving me a broader area of ​​activity and more opportunities to connect within the community.

Therefore, it is no coincidence that I established the Association for Connecting Vietnamese Tea Cultural Heritage ( thuộc Hội Di sản văn hóa TP.HCM - under the Ho Chi Minh City Cultural Heritage Association).

To spread this spirit, we have the slogan "Tea Connect Us".

What's important is that I get to do what I love. The Tea House is my way of trying to contribute, from my perspective, to preserving and spreading a beautiful traditional culture and national pride. I hope that Vietnamese tea culture will become clearly defined on the cultural experience map for tourists visiting Vietnam.

* People still think of tea drinking as a habit of the elderly, at least to contemplate life and enjoy the simple pleasures of rural life. Does the head of the tea branch of the Ho Chi Minh City Cultural Heritage Association think so?

- That's understandable, because most people tend to seek out tea at a certain age. Drinking tea requires tranquility and time, so it seems less suitable for today's fast-paced youth.

But tea has been present in every aspect of Vietnamese life since ancient times, from the "cup of tea that starts a conversation" in gatherings, family reunions, village life, to festivals, celebrations, and joyous occasions in a person's life.

For Vietnamese people, tea has always been a drink for socializing and sharing, so why should it be confined to a drink only for the elderly or for private moments? I believe tea has a wide reach.

Whether you drink tea alone or in quiet solitude, tea can absolutely become a catalyst for socializing and connecting when needed.

Drink tea to live slowly.

Danh said that the essence of tea drinking is slowness and tranquility. This is true because how can you rush it, from waiting for the water to boil to rinsing the teapot, washing the teacup, and then waiting for the tea to steep?

Tea only truly possesses its characteristic aroma and flavor when drunk hot, so it needs to be brewed properly; it can't be pre-made. "You need time and care for this, so unintentionally, this forced process becomes a precious moment for you to calm down, focus, and live slowly," Danh confided.

A date for "tea time"—why not!

Based on his research and experience, Tran Cong Danh says that tea comes in many varieties with different flavors, not just the bitter, astringent taste of strong tea that many people often hear about. Therefore, as long as you are interested and enjoy it, you can rest assured that you can find your favorite type of tea.

A gathering for tea appreciation and sharing about Vietnamese tea culture at Tra Su Quan included both young Vietnamese people and foreign tourists - Photo: L.D.L.

Tea is a fascinating connection, originating primarily in Vietnamese folk tea culture. Along with "tea ceremony" and "tea meditation," the young owner of Tra Su Quan tea house is also initiating a "fun tea" style. "I hope that soon, instead of the familiar 'let's go for coffee' dating habit among young people, we'll have 'let's go for tea'. There will certainly be many shared thoughts and feelings over a cup of tea," Danh said with a smile.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tra-su-quan-o-bao-tang-20240327220602253.htm