Perceiving China through tea

BY Nyaboga Douglas Mochama

Recently, the English article Perceiving China through tea written by Nyaboga Douglas Mochama, a Kenyan international student from the  School of Public Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), was republished in Issue 31 of Beijing Review in 2026.

The article was originally released on May 14, 2026, in the column West Africa Dialogue run by the UESTC Center for West African Studies (Issue 1, 2026, Serial No. 86), under the sub-column International Students’ Stories: Understanding China. Its original Chinese title is Hongya Tea Culture Experience: Deepening International Students’ Understanding of Cultural Exchange and Common Development.

Based on the author’s participation in the university’s "Understanding China" cultural experience activity in Hongya, the essay compares tea culture, family memories and daily life in Hongya of China and Kericho of Kenya. It illustrates how tea serves as a unique medium to bridge diverse cultures and boost mutual understanding and trust.

This republication has further lifted the international influence of the signature column for international students of the Center for West African Studies. It demonstrates the fruitful outcomes of UESTC’s international students telling authentic Chinese stories from their personal perspectives and advancing exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations worldwide.

Links

Original release page of the Center for West African Studies:

https://cwas.uestc.edu.cn/info/1012/4497.htm

Article page on Beijing Review official website:

https://www.bjreview.com/China/202607/t20260724_800442765.html

Contributor: Center for West African Studies, UESTC

Edited by Qianwen Xu