On March 3, 2024, Australia Tea Association, the Chinese Teaman Association - the Australian Exchange Center and the Multicultural Club successfully held a tea tasting session to learn about tea culture and experience different tea at Mount Waverley community Centre.
First, Mr. James （Zhijun）Shen, chairman of Australia Tea Association, introduced the evolution and development process of the six major tea varieties, as well as their respective characteristics. He showed the most representative tea in each variety.
Then, with the help of President Wu and Robert Tian of the Multicultural Club, James selected the representative "Fuding White Tea", "Enshi Yulu", "Lichuan Red Tea" and "Brick Black Tea" for brewing experience. He explained the selection and identification of tea during the brewing experience. He especially wanted everyone to understand the difference between "drinking tea" and "tasting tea".
Tasting tea is very similar to tasting wine with identifying different flavours from the palate, savouring the return aroma and enjoying the sweet aftertaste from slurping the tea. James also highlighted the significance of drinking tea and health.
During the event, people were very active in asking questions and interacting, mainly asking different questions about how to identify tea, brew tea well and the benefits of drinking tea. James patiently answered them one by one, so that the planned one-hour event lasted for more than three hours, and "Chunlun Jasmine Tea" was added.
Finally, James ended today's event with a sentence from Prof. Liu Zhong Hua, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: "It's not that you appear old, but because you don't drink enough tea."
If you are insterestes to listed to the session, you can do so here. (Note video is in Mandarin Chinese). This lovely video was submitted by one of our lovely attendees.