Tea and Treasures: A Night of Chinese Art and Tea Culture

Join us for an immersive evening exploring the evolving traditions of Chinese tea culture among works of Chinese art and cultural objects. Bringing together art appreciation, history, tea ceremony, tasting, and live music, this program considers tea as both an everyday drink and an enduring expression of Chinese culture.

Guests will view a special exhibition of Yixing purple-clay teapots from the Heritage Museum of Asian Art’s collection and the Grace Chun Collection at the Chinese American Museum of Chicago. Celebrated for their distinctive material, craftsmanship, and close relationship to tea preparation, Yixing teapots reveal the artistry and cultural values embedded in the tea experience. Under guidance, guests will also have an opportunity to handle a few Yixing teapots.

Selected works

The evening will include a lecture and conversation connecting tea to the museum’s collection and to the history of Chinese society. Learn about tea’s changing role through the centuries, its place in Chinese cultural life, and the ways Chinese herbal teas have been introduced and shared within American communities.

A live tea-art demonstration and tasting led by Puremind Tea Culture Center will invite participants to experience the aromas, flavors, and attentive rituals of tea preparation firsthand. Accompanied by live Chinese music, the program offers a welcoming space to savor tea, encounter art, and reflect on how cultural traditions continue to travel, adapt, and connect communities today.

The craft of making teaware continues beyond traditional forms. Several local Chinese teacup makers will also join us.