2023/04/20

"Hong Kong LEI – Cover Story" is a series introducing people working hard in Hong Kong. This article was produced with the support and cooperation of Tasting Table Japan Premium, which provides information on health and food safety.

"I want to be involved with Chinese tea for the rest of my life."

(table of contents)
A life guided by Chinese tea
What got me through those dark (?!) five years?
"Tea reflects the way of life of the person who makes it."
<Three questions for Chanko-san>

A life guided by Chinese tea

Dressed in pure white clothing, Chanko stands tall. With her slender fingers, she slowly pours hot water over the tea leaves. After pouring the hot water, she takes a breath and puts the kettle back. She gently places the lid on the teapot, and while the tea leaves open, she prepares the teacup. All of her movements are smooth, careful and beautiful. One of the Hong Kong LEI staff members who was watching her said with shining eyes, "It's like watching Tai Chi." What she is showing us is "Chinese tea art." It is a technique and art to make tea more delicious and enjoy it with graceful and fluent movements. It is also characterized by not being bound by form, rituals, or schools as much as Japanese tea ceremony, and as such, it is said that you are asked to be yourself.

Yuejichanko is a Chinese tea navigator based in Hong Kong who travels between China and Japan. In Japan, he actively holds Chinese tea ceremonies and posts information about Chinese tea on Instagram and Twitter.

Her first encounter with Chinese tea was when she was a university student at Peking University. She was given Anxi Tieguanyin tea at a friend's house in Fujian Province, a tea-producing region, while studying abroad.

"I thought it was green tea because it was green, but when I drank it, I got a soft floral scent. I was surprised to find out it was oolong tea."

From there, Chanko-san became more and more fascinated with the diversity of tea leaves and the depth of Chinese tea. While studying abroad in China, he obtained a qualification as a tea artist and studied Chinese tea systematically. After getting a job in Japan, he somehow managed to make time to attend Chinese tea classes, even though he was swamped with work.

"Looking back, the time I spent making tea in the classroom was a time when I could relax and get back to myself."

Chanko-san then ended up living in Fujian Province, which shows how interesting life is. She met her husband through an acquaintance and married him. His family runs a company that deals in oolong tea. The company's headquarters is in Fujian Province.
In her blog, she writes in great detail about her life in China and Hong Kong, how she met her husband, and the customs of Chinese families.

"It can be difficult, but it's good material for my blog, so I want to experience it. Also, some people read my blog and come to the tea parties, so it's an important communication tool."

Currently based in Hong Kong, she is raising her daughter and is the mother of twins, ages 3 and 6 months, while also working as a Chinese tea navigator in Hong Kong and Japan.

What got me through those dark (?!) five years?

Since marrying her husband, who has Chinese roots and was born in Hong Kong and raised in Australia, Chanko has had people around her say to her, "Hayao Takako! (May you have a child soon!)" At first, she ignored it, but gradually her feelings started to become depressed.
"After I got married, I was told, 'You don't have to do anything because you're going to have a baby,' and I wasn't allowed to work. After that, when I had to live in Japan for fertility treatment, I felt uneasy: I was leaving my husband to have a baby."
She calls this period "my dark period," but she says it was Chinese tea that got her through it.

A Chinese tea ceremony in Japan. The atmosphere is quiet.

What was particularly memorable was the Chinese tea party I attended in Sapporo while undergoing infertility treatment in Japan.
A person who had been watching Chanko's tea ceremony performance in front of a few guests from a short distance away approached me and spoke to me after the event had ended.

"The person in question was a mortician*, and he understood exactly what I was conscious of in my tea ceremony and the feelings I put into my manners. He told me that manners are also important in the job of a mortician, and that the way the mortician treats the body can have such an impact that it can change the expressions of the bereaved family. I felt that we had something in common in terms of creating an atmosphere and space through posture and behavior. My tea ceremony also has a performance element to it, which is meant to make delicious tea taste even better."

Chanko felt that she had grown through the experience of being able to understand and be recognized on a deep level by someone from a completely different field, and she was convinced that "what I've been doing has not been wrong!" She resolved to continue doing Chinese tea for the rest of her life.

"During my fertility treatments, not only my body but also my mind was controlled by the treatments. Whenever something didn't go well, I felt depressed, as if I had been completely rejected. But once I decided to devote my life to tea, I somehow felt liberated. Treatment is treatment, so I should leave my body to the medical treatments and keep my mind free. A while later, I became pregnant. I believe it was thanks to Chinese tea that I was able to get my mind back at that time."

The tea plantations run by her husband's family are in the background.

"Tea reflects the way of life of the person who makes it."

When Chanko-san is making tea, the atmosphere becomes so quiet that it's almost like you're forgetting the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.
"Tea brewed by considering the temperature of the water and the amount of tea leaves is correct, but it cannot exceed a certain level of tea. When you become transparent and face yourself, you will achieve your desired result."

"It's hard to explain, but it feels like I'm a tube and something is passing through it."

You use all of your senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. By accumulating such experiences, you will be able to feel various things in your everyday life. You will be able to feel the comfort of lying down on a soft bed, the happiness of eating something delicious, and other such everyday happiness more. Chanko says that these experiences will help you find peace of mind and become your core.

"The way you live your life is reflected in the taste of the tea. A Chinese tea professor whom I respect once told me, 'You are someone who can bring your experiences to bear on tea.' That's why I place great importance on gaining experience outside of tea. And above all, tea brewed by someone who lives a beautiful life tastes better. I always think that in order to brew delicious tea that is true to myself, I need to be a better person."

I was convinced that the clear air and dignified impression she exudes must be the result of always keeping this in mind.

"We've talked about a lot of things, but first of all, I want people to relax and enjoy the world of Chinese tea. You don't have to think too seriously. You can easily make something delicious for someone. You can enjoy a happy time telling each other how delicious it is. Every time I brew tea, I think that Chinese tea is really great."
Tochanko spoke calmly.

* Embalmer: A person who prepares the body and performs the ceremony to place it in a coffin.

With the Chinese tea lovers who attended a tea party hosted by Chanko.

Three questions for Chanko-san

Q1: What tea leaves would you recommend for someone new to Chinese tea?
Tieguanyin, Pu-erh tea, and Bai Mei tea are three teas that are commonly consumed in Hong Kong, so why not start with them?

Q2: What are some recommended places to get Chinese tea in Hong Kong?
These are Le Cha Heen, located in Hong Kong Park and Tai Kwun, and Nova Tea House, located in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay.

We used Le Cha Hen, located inside Hong Kong Park, for this interview and photo shoot.

Q3. Do you have a daily routine?
When I wake up in the morning, I go out to the terrace to get some fresh air and then light some incense in my room. Then I do my morning Instagram live.

Chanko's book "The world's easiest way to get started with Chinese tea: A practical guidebook for enjoying tea in your own style

For details,here.