Tea Culture Spotlight

Tea & Lunar New Year Celebrations

Each year, we release a special tea blend inspired by the rich traditions of Chinese New Year. You may read more about the history and traditions in our blog article here. A new tin design is created annually that reflects the aesthetic and joyous spirit of these festivities, along with an intricate representation of the corresponding zodiac cycle animal sign. This year, the animal happens to be the magical wood dragon!

Tea holds significant cultural importance in the celebrations surrounding the Chinese or Lunar New Year. In Chinese culture, tea is deeply rooted in traditions and rituals, and it plays a central role in various aspects of daily life and special occasions like the New Year festivities.

Lunar New Year 2024 Tea, Tin of 30 Sachets

Lunar New Year 2024 – Year of the Dragon

This tea blend is inspired by Nian Gao, a delicacy made of caramel, sesame, and coconut enjoyed during Lunar New Year celebrations.

Mike Harney's Tea Ratings: Briskness—2 Body—3 Aroma—2

4.8 ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ Based on 581 reviews

In Chinese culture, tea embodies harmony, respect, and tranquility. Its preparation and serving symbolize familial bonds, hospitality, and gratitude. Tea ceremonies signify reverence for tradition and connection with nature. The act of sharing tea fosters social cohesion and spiritual nourishment, representing a timeless cultural heritage deeply ingrained in everyday life—and naturally in significant occasions such as New Year celebrations.

Tea is also a popular gift exchanged during the Chinese New Year. It is customary to offer tea as a token of goodwill and respect when visiting relatives, friends, or colleagues during the festive season. High-quality teas, whether green, black, or oolong, are often chosen as gifts to convey wishes for health, prosperity, and happiness in the coming year.

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Tea is also used symbolically to cleanse and purify the body and soul, which is particularly significant during the New Year festivities. It is believed that drinking tea helps to wash away the old and welcome the new, promoting renewal and rejuvenation as one enters the new year.

In some regions of China, there are specific tea ceremonies or rituals performed during the Lunar New Year to bring good fortune and ward off evil spirits. These rituals may involve brewing and serving tea in a particular manner, often accompanied by auspicious phrases or gestures.

You may read our blog about Chinese tea traditions where tea has been an integral part of the culture for centuries. You can even learn how to host a Chinese tea ceremony!

For as long as it has been incorporated into daily life, tea most definitely can be found in the lore of Chinese culture. We'll share one such legend next.

The Story of Dragon Pearl Jasmine Tea

We originally shared this story on our blog in an article entitled, Year of the Wood Dragon Lunar New Year Tea. Read the full article here.

In homage to the Year of the Wood Dragon, we wanted to focus on one of our many Chinese teas, Dragon Pearl Jasmine. We've done a deep dive before into the fascinating and intricate process used to create jasmine tea, but we thought it would be fun to explore why it has this intriguing moniker in the first place.

There's a Chinese legend that goes back hundreds of years about how this tea got its name. While the details in versions vary, the main story remains intact. It goes like this:

One winter, a young boy in a small village near Fuzhou, Fujian (Fujian is most closely associated with jasmine tea, and it's where we source ours) became very ill. He lived with his sister; their parents had died, and they were very poor. No doctor or treatment could help the boy get better.

The sister had been told about a mystical dragon who helped people in need, and she decided to search for the dragon. After walking through the mountains for some time, she found a cave surrounded by jasmine bushes. Inside the cave was the dragon. The girl told the dragon about her brother and asked for help.

In response, the dragon flew into the sky, and a beautiful pearl appeared on his neck. A tiny drop of water fell from the pearl onto the ground, and a tea bush sprouted and started growing instantaneously. The dragon told the girl to take care of the bush no matter what, and it would save her brother's life. Soon, it began to pour rain, but the girl steadfastly stayed by the bush's side. Soon, small leaves began to grow on the bush; the girl picked them and dried them next to jasmine flowers. She then made delicate beads, like the one that had been on the neck of the dragon.

When she got home, the sister brewed tea from the balled-up leaves, filling their home with the smell of jasmine. Her brother then drank the tea and miraculously recovered.

This story has been passed down from generation to generation in Chinese families. And while it's a legend, anyone who has had Dragon Pearl Jasmine Tea knows it to be something of a magical experience as well as a potentially effective herbal remedy for many ailments. If nothing else, it makes an excellent story for your Year of the Wood Dragon party!