Tea enthusiasts all around campus had the chance to try new flavors and brewing methods on Feb. 26 at LPC’s Tea Tasting and Mahjong event. The Las Positas Chinese Student Association hosted the event at the Cultural Community Center, located in room 2401. The club offered history lessons on Chinese tea, taste testing of traditional Chinese tea flavors, games of Mahjong and free boba drink tickets.
The community center was abuzz with conversation and laughter. Officers and members talked together in their respective groups, and a hum of energy swept through the room. CSA officers led attendees through a game of four corners, but with a twist. Each question focused on individual tea preferences — participants were asked if they preferred their tea sweet or savory, whether they took their tea with milk and sugar or without and even which times of day they drank tea.
Four corners wrapped up, and the event continued by diving into the history of tea and its rise in popularity. All “true” forms of tea — white, black, green, oolong and pu-erh — derive from the same plant: Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub from the Theacae family. In Chinese legend, tea was said to have been invented by Emperor Shennong in 2737 B.C.E., when a leaf fell into a pot of boiling water. Instead of boiling a new pot of water, Shennong tried the concoction and enjoyed it, thus “inventing” tea. Tea as a whole went through major changes throughout the Tang, Song and Ming dynasties.
The Tang dynasty’s advancements in tea production meant even common people had access to tea. With this change came tea ceremonies, as well as the central idea of brewing tea as an intentional, communal process. The Song dynasty saw the rise of creating designs in bricks of tea, which were convenient for transportation. By the Ming dynasty, tea had spread to the European market.
The lesson completed, students of all cultures wisened to the history of Chinese tea. It was finally time for taste testing. Three teas were offered: red oolong, jasmine and Tieguanyin tea.
Attendees described the various flavors for students who were fasting, and could not partake in the taste testing. The red oolong tea, according to Data Science student Archisha Anshuman, had “an earthy texture, on the bitterness scale of things, but it’s not bitter. Like the flavor of a seed.”
The jasmine tea offered appeared rose gold in color, paired with a sweet, floral smell. Anshuman described the flavor as balanced, neither “too sweet (nor) bitter. It’s neutral.”
The Tieguanyin tea, saved for last, was a vibrant olive green and carried an herbal scent. “It tastes like a leaf but in the best way possible,” Anshuman said. “The water adds to the richness of the flavor.”
While attendees tasted and smelled the three teas, CSA members brought out decks of cards and other games, including mahjong. Mahjong tiles clattered on the table, players rushing to make pairs and sequences in their hands. Banter and mirth rang out across the room.
The cultural history lesson, tea tasting and games allowed all attendees to bond over shared community.
“In Chinese culture, tea ceremonies bring people together, and (that continues) today,” said Gabriel Jang, CSA treasurer. “When we go to the mall, we get boba, and I think it’s a great way to bring people together.”
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TOP PHOTO: LPC Student Elijah Guan reaches over Cailyn Chu for a mahjong tile at the LPC Cultural Community Center. Students from the Chinese Student Association gathered together for a friendly game of mahjong to kickoff the spring semester. (Photo by Eric Liang/The Express)
Manahil Bajwa is a staff writer for The Express. Follow her on Instagram @manahilbajLPC.
