The 2026 "Tea for Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon", a global event organized by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, led a delegation representing Shanghai's Jiading district and its rich cultural heritage to Madrid, Spain, and Brussels, Belgium.
Representing Shanghai, Jiading partnered with the Shanghai Public Art Center to showcase Chinese tea culture, traditional crafts, and Jiangnan heritage to European audiences. The program featured tea lectures, tea-making demonstrations, and refined tea ceremonies, emphasizing the history and philosophy behind Chinese tea.
He Dongying, director of Jiading's culture and tourism bureau, introduced the district's blend of ancient Jiangnan traditions and modern development. A promotional video further showcased Jiading's 800-year history and vibrant urban character.
Visitors show interest in various crafts from Jiading at the cultural salon. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]
The delegation also donated works of Jiading bamboo carving, a national-level intangible cultural heritage item, to the Chinese cultural centers in Madrid and Brussels as a symbol of friendship between China and Europe.
Visitors enjoyed hands-on experiences with traditional crafts, including medicinal-pattern cloth dyeing and gem inlay techniques. Coinciding with the Dragon Boat Festival, many local participants also tried making embroidered sachets and zongzi-themed bracelets.
From Madrid to Brussels, the aroma of tea and the beauty of traditional craftsmanship helped strengthen cultural exchanges and deepen friendship between China and Europe, organizers noted.