UNESCO: Chinese tea ceremony, join protected heritage list

   Holy Week in Guatemala, traditional tea preparation in China, and the artisanal knowledge surrounding France’s iconic daily bread loaf, the baguette, are among the latest cultural practices and expressions to be recognized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Tea rituals, from leaf to cup

   Tea permeates daily life in China, where it is served in homes, workplaces, tea houses, restaurants, and temples.

It is an important part of social interaction and of ceremonies, including weddings.

China’s traditional tea processing techniques entail the knowledge, skills and practices around tea plantation management, tea-leaf picking and manual processing.

These are passed on through families and apprenticeships, including by tea producers, farmers and artists, as well as those who make the pastries that are typically served with tea.