Date & Time: Saturday, September 27th | 10:30 - 12:30. Before our seminar, we'll offer breakfast at 10.00 am.
Location: Galdus Academy, a culinary academy where young students will serve you a lovely breakfast that also includes the option of some of our teas. Breakfast is offered by us.
Speaker: Zhou Chonglin (周重林), renowned author and tea historian, joining us live remotely from Kunming, Yunnan.
Tasting Included: Yes, featuring three rare and historic teas.
Language: Chinese, with live English and Italian translations

Tea historian and author Zhou Chonglin is one of the most charming characters we have met during our life in tea, and we are honoured to present a captivating seminar that unravels the very essence of the Tea Horse Road.

Zhou posits a fascinating theory: while salt was a local commodity, creating small, regional circles of trade — from the salt wells of Qinghai to the deposits of Tibet —, tea was a necessity found only in the South. This scarcity demanded long-distance expedition—a perilous journey of thousands of miles to reach the demanding markets of Tibet and beyond. This compelling economic imperative gave birth to the legendary Tea Horse Road, forging connections that shaped empires: a route of exchange, survival, and encounter.

This lecture goes beyond history; it's a journey into the economics and human endeavour that built a world through a simple leaf.

The Tea Tasting Experience:
Your intellectual expedition will be accompanied by an unparalleled tasting, guiding your palate through living history:

• Horse Driver’s Tea from Yiwu (2025): Experience a fresh, vibrant sheng pu'er tea from the famous region of Yiwu, offered by Family Luo. Imagine the caravanners brewing this very tea by their campfires.
• Tibetan Dark Tea (2017): Taste the modern incarnation of the commodity that was so highly sought after.
•  Tibetan Dark Tea (1970s): A truly rare opportunity. Taste a piece of history with this preserved tea from the 1970s, offering a profound window into the past and the transformative power of age.

This seminar will journey from the world of tea expertise into the broader realms of history, economics, and social evolution, offering insights for anyone captivated by the narrative of global exchange and its profound impact on our world.

About the seminars, participation options, and discounts:
This event is part of a symposium held in Milan (27-28/9/2025) and the Netherlands (11-12/10/2025), to celebrate the Ancient Tea Horse Road (茶马古道), now recognized as a pivotal tea trading hub between ancient China and border countries. Its role in making Chinese tea beloved and coveted throughout the East was a great source of inspiration for Vivian Zhang's new project: The Chinese Tea Culture Foundation.
The theme of all the events revolves around this single cornerstone, and each speaker will bring their own experience and perspective to explore the various facets of this historic route. 

You can decide to join one or more events:
- by joining two or three events, you'll enjoy a 5% discount on the total amount
- by joining all 4 events, you can enjoy a 10% discount
- our Xiaoye and Daye alumni can enjoy an additional 10% discount by adding the code ALUMNI at checkout

All events are held live, and seats are limited: join us soon to avoid missing your chance!