Friday 13-01-2023 - 10:55

In Conversation With: Sophie Whitfield, President of the Chinese Tea Art Society

 

Meet Sophie Whitfield, a third-year from University College studying Religion, Society and Culture. A tea enthusiast, Sophie is the President of the Chinese Tea Art Society (CTAS). At the age of 16, Sophie discovered her fascination for tea. She candidly remarks that ever since then, she has carried a tea bag everywhere with her. This society is a culturally rich group that initiates students to tea culture, its traditions and ceremonies to incite intrigue and passion for the same. Along with the art of tea, this group delves into modern innovations in tea culture. From the six primary teas to Bubble tea, CTAS pursues the diverse flavours of tea with great zeal. It also focuses on adopting a global dimension to this exploration. It celebrates not just the Chinese tea tradition but also the tea culture as honoured in different parts of the world. Be it the history of tea, its production or brewing methods, CTAS has answers to them all. Additionally, the group actively organises traditional Chinese festivities like the Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
 

Even before joining University, the mesmerising events of the society had captivated Sophie. Determined to advance her affection for tea, she joined the group in her first year as a member. The enriching events held by the society helped her find a group of close friends to bond with over their mutual adoration for tea. For Sophie, the members and their lively participation in events serve as distinct characteristics of the group. She notes that she absolutely loved her time at the society and was elated to apply for the Treasurer's role in her second year and for the President's role in her third year.
 

Her journey from a member to the President of the group had been of great adventure, learning and fulfilment. She mentions that the biggest surprise in store for her was the amount of administrative work that came along with her role. She mentions that when attending an event as a member, you may not always recognise the vast number of processes that lead up to the event. It is when working behind the scenes that you better appreciate the enormous tasks that facilitate the event's execution. Moreover, Sophie asserts that time management and organisation skills are pivotal to heading a student group. With mounting academic work supplemented by the numerous projects of the group, it is imperative to stay organised and committed to timely completion. Such is the group's dynamism and hard work that translate into successful and engrossing events. Sophie mentions that it is greatly rewarding to see the members appreciate and enjoy these events conducted by the CTAS.

 

With surging membership numbers, Sophie and her team are keen on hosting multiple events to boost this community bonding over tea culture. Private and public tea ceremonies and collaborative social events with the Centre for Foreign Language Studies, the Chinese Studies Society and the Instant Noodle Society are some of the widely cherished events recently led by the society.

 

Whether you are a novice with your tea knowledge or a tea connoisseur, the Chinese Tea Art Society is where you must be. The society will host a traditional tea ceremony at Durham County Council’s Lunar New Year event on 21 January. This event is an unmatched opportunity for anyone seeking to learn more about Chinese tea and the vividity of Chinese culture.