Studied act: International Islamic University Malaysia student Muhd Hariz Mohd Azhar (right) enjoying Chinese tea with his fellow Johor Tea Art Association members. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Age-old art attracting younger multi-ethnic generation in Johor
ARMED with knowledge in tea brewing, navigating the steps to make the perfect cup of Chinese tea feels like second nature to Muhd Hariz Mohd Azhar.
The 21-year-old International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) student expertly fills a teapot with boiling water to sterilise the vessel.
He then adds tea leaves, knowing exactly how long it takes for the leaves to bloom to unleash its flavours.
“I got my first taste of Chinese tea while pursuing my foundation studies in Pahang about three years ago.
“I was instantly hooked by the clean taste of the brew.
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“I then became fascinated with the art of tea-making and found the techniques and process very elegant, making me want to learn more,” he told StarMetro in an interview.
He began by learning from videos on the Internet but longed for a teacher who could give him proper guidance and knowledge about the age-old art.
About a year later when he moved back home to Kota Tinggi in Johor, Muhd Hariz began exploring the Johor Baru Chinese tea scene and found a group of enthusiasts through Facebook.
“That was when I learned about an international Chinese tea expo that was about to be held in Kuala Lumpur.
“I told my parents about it and they, knowing my interest and passion for the art, drove me there to participate in the event.
“It was an eye-opening experience,” he said.
From there, Muhd Hariz went on to discover Johor Tea Art Association.
Muhd Hariz (left) sharing his passion in the art of Chinese tea-making with his best friend Muhd Izzul Fitri Norul Hisham.
Its members, whom he refers to as his teachers, taught him the art of Teochew or Gong Fu tea drinking techniques and skills.
Muhd Hariz also began collecting Chinese tea including pu-er tea cakes and Oolong tea, which are his favourite varieties due to their vast flavour profiles.
“I find the art of tea-making peaceful and refined, which suits my personality as I value serenity.
“Tea culture is widely practised in many countries but people are more familiar with Chinese and Japanese tea ceremonies and British tea culture.
“Through this hobby, I learned about the history of Chinese tea culture which dates back thousands of years.
“It also helped me learn Mandarin through interaction with my fellow association members,” he added.
Muhd Hariz, who is currently pursuing a degree in English for International Communication at IIUM in Pagoh, said his family and friends were supportive of his hobby.
He also regularly invites his hostel roommate and coursemates to Chinese tea culture events as well as his exploration of shops to buy tea leaves and clay teapot sets.
“I see it as a form of cross-cultural exchange. Many Malaysian Chinese learn batik-making, so it is not wrong for us to learn a Chinese traditional art.
“I hope more people will learn each other’s culture to better connect as Malaysians,” said Muhd Hariz.
From badminton to brewing
Student Alex Tay, 16, said he surprised many of his friends and family when he delved into Chinese tea culture about two years ago.
“I have always been active in sports and I represent the district and state in badminton competitions.
“Those around me found it odd when I started learning the art of Chinese tea, which is much slower paced,” said the SMK Sri Tebrau student.
“As an athlete, I am used to fast-paced activities, so learning Chinese tea art is a refreshing change.
“This way, I get to enjoy the best of both worlds,” he said, adding that his godfather exposed him to appreciating Chinese tea.
Teenagers Alex and Xi Yan are among the youngest members of Johor Tea Art Association.
Alex added that the fragrant and clean taste of Chinese tea piqued his interest and led him to learn about tea-making.
“I used to think that drinking tea was just adding hot water to tea leaves,” he said.
“Now, I enjoy the steps and techniques that go into making a good cup of tea.
“Since learning the art, I often make tea at home for my family. My grandmother, who prefers drinking coffee, has also started drinking Chinese tea.
“When we go on family outings, we look for shops to buy tea leaves.
“It is a good family-bonding activity as well,” he added.
Alex said the art of Chinese tea was currently not widely known at school.
“I aim to work towards introducing the art as a club activity in the future, so more people can learn about the beauty of tea-making and tea-drinking.”
Building the love
Teenager Ki Xi Yan said her friends used to laugh at her for her interest in tea-making.
“It is not something young people learn as they prefer trendier activities and hobbies, so I don’t blame them.
“I took the time to explain about the beauty and ceremonial experience of tea-making.
“The history behind it is also meaningful and this was part of what led me to have a new-found interest in appreciating Chinese tea-making,” she said.
The art of Chinese tea, which consists of brewing and drinking the beverage, has gained a lot of interest among young people in the past few years. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Xi Yan added that she often linked the art of tea drinking to the bubble tea or boba trend.
“Young people love drinking boba tea, which is milk tea. There are many brands offering these beverages using a variety of Chinese tea leaves as the base.
“Using boba tea as an example, I can make tea-making more relatable to my peers,” she said.
The 16-year-old Foon Yew High School student said her interest was born after tagging along with her uncle, who is an avid Chinese tea drinker, to various tea events last year.
“Come to think of it, many people around me enjoy drinking Chinese tea; my tuition teacher also enjoys brewing a pot during our lessons, but I never appreciated it until I started learning the art myself.
“Coming from a Teochew family, learning the art of making Gong Fu tea brings me closer to my heritage,” she said.
Xi Yan hopes that more young people will appreciate the tea-making art, to preserve it and prevent it from dying out in the digital age.
