Dozens of people gathered at the Gabriel García Márquez Cultural Center in Bogotá for a tea ceremony that highlighted the cultural ties between Colombia and China, spanish.news.cn reported on October 27. The event operated under the global initiative “El té une al mundo,” which aims to foster friendship and mutual understanding across different civilizations.
Zhang Liping, chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Colombia, opened the event by discussing the historical and philosophical roots of tea. He noted that the Chinese character for tea visually combines a person surrounded by grass and trees, reflecting traditional views on living in harmony with nature. Zhang described how the plant evolved from an ancient medicinal herb into a beverage meant to clear the mind and revitalize the spirit, spreading across the globe via the Silk Road and the ancient Tea and Horse Road.
Presentations and Traditional Performances
Attendees observed a live demonstration of traditional tea preparation, examining the specialized utensils used in Chinese tea culture while sampling various aromas and flavors.
Cultural performances accompanied the tastings. The gathering included a display of the Beijing Opera, a dragon dance performance, and martial arts demonstrations that showcased different facets of Chinese heritage.
Perspectives on Cross-Cultural Exchange
Luis Chinchilla, a martial arts instructor and promoter of the culture of the Asian country in Colombia, pointed out that the event provided residents with an opportunity to explore broader aspects of Chinese civilization beyond martial arts, noting the influence of texts by Confucius and Laozi. Miguel Ángel Sarmiento, a Bogotá gastronomic and tourism promoter, welcomed the event as a chance to break away from eurocentric perspectives and engage with global pluriculturality.
Embassy organizers stated they hope the initiative will continue to serve as a bridge for building friendships and deepening ties between the two nations.