Meet Your Tea Master

Lillian Li

Lillian is a Chinese tea expert and educator with a passion for traditional Chinese teas and tea art, holding both a Certificate in Tea Tasting and a Certificate in Tea Ceremony at the senior level. 

Born and raised in a traditional Chinese family in Beijing, China, she was taught Chinese culture and health practices by her late grandfather, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctor.

Lillian attended college in Beijing, specializing in Chinese culture, where she advanced her knowledge of tea tasting and tea arts. She has traveled to over 40 countries, including major tea-growing regions such as southern China, Taiwan, Japan, India, and Sri Lanka.

She also studied International Relations in a prestigious Chinese university and holds a master's degree in Public Affairs from SciencesPo. in Paris, France, and worked as a journalist in Egypt for over two years. 

Lillian's teaching career began in 2016 when she moved to Vancouver, Canada, and dedicated herself to promoting traditional Chinese tea culture in the West. She has taught courses, hosted tea ceremonies, and organized tea events at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and Van Cha teahouse in Vancouver. She has also given tea classes at Bodwell High School and Mulgrave School.

Lillian has been invited to perform tea ceremonies for companies such as Christian Dior, Lululemon, HSBC, and other notable organizations. She has also delivered tea lectures at libraries across Canada and the United States. 

Additionally, she served as the chief judge for the 1st and 2nd Chinese Tea Brewing Contest in North America. 

In 2023, she received the Outstanding Tea Culture Contribution Award .

She organized Garden Tea Festival at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese garden in 2024, attracting around 1,000 attendees.

Her students come from diverse cultural backgrounds, all sharing a love for Chinese tea. Among them is Kurt Aydin, the champion of 2nd Chinese Tea Brewing Contest in North America in 2024.

She moved to the United States in early 2025 to continue teaching Chinese tea and promoting Chinese culture. She was invited by University of Minnesota to give tea lectures and tea ceremony performance in March, 2025.

Interview Tea Talks: Lillian Li, Tea Artist

  • tea tasting

    at WTBC in Shanghai

  • making tea

    in class

  • tea ceremony

    at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

  • tea event

    in Van Cha teahouse

  • private tea ceremony

    at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

  • tea garden visit

    in Ya’an Mountain, Sichuan, China

  • tea amid nature

    in West Vancouver park

  • completion of Chinese tea course

    at Van Cha teahouse

  • students in class

    at Van Cha teahouse

  • private tea for US conselor

    at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

Jianhua Huang

Champion of World Tea Brewer Cup 2015

Jianhua is a tea expert and a leading consultant in the operations of multiple tea brands in China.

Born and raised in Taiwan, he moved to Beijing in 2010 to expand his tea business. In 2012, he founded the chain brand Zui San Fen, which quickly rose to #1 in Beijing’s dessert and beverage category.

In 2015, he won the World Tea Brewer Cup, an international tea brewing competition, and later served as a judge in 2019.

Jianhua is known for innovating traditional Chinese tea to better suit the tastes and lifestyles of young people. His tea blending classes are highly popular.

As a key promoter and strategic advisor for many tea chain brands, including 7K and Dou Ye, he has played a significant role in their growth. He also served as General Manager of Beijing Imperial Teahouse, specializing in the development and operation of imperial-style health beverages.

With deep expertise in tea consulting, Jianhua was the strategic planner behind Ceylon Premium’s entry into the Chinese market in 2014 and led its initial operations in China.

in his tea studio in Taiwan

visiting tea garden in Taiwan

judge of World Tea Brewer Cup 2019

Liang Shi is an instructor/lecturer in several tea schools and colleges in China and a senior judge for China's National Tea Artist and Tea Taster Certification. He is a board member of China Tea Exchange Association and co-author of Yixing Clay Teapot Art .

Since beginning his journey in the tea industry in 2008 in Beijing, China, he has gained extensive experience, serving as a judge for more than 100 national certification exams and tea tasting competitions as follow:

- Judge for China’s National Tea Tasting Competition

- Senior Judge for the Beijing Vocational Skills Competition

- National Senior-Level Tea Artist Examination

- National Senior-Level Tea Taster Examination

- 3rd Wuyi Mountain Cup National Tea Taster Competition

In addition, he has taught at several tea academies. His expertise, engaging teaching style, and dedication have earned him great respect and admiration from his students and industry professionals. His core courses include:

- A Brief History of Tea Culture in China

- Fundamentals of Chinese Tea

- Appreciation of Porcelain and Teaware

- Yixing Clay Teapot Studies

- Water Selection for Brewing Tea

Liang Shi

Mr. Shi has delivered tea culture training to numerous organizations and corporations, including:

- State-Owned Enterprises: COFCO Group, China Construction Bank, China Southern Airlines Service Co. Ltd.

- International Companies: AIA Group Limited (American International Assurance), Daimler China

- Tea Companies & Cultural Institutions: Beijing Wuyutai Tea Co. Ltd., Beijing Dayi Tea Culture Club, Youlan Women's Society

- Teahouses: Luyuxuan Teahouse, Hongjian Teaware Shop, Mingxiang Teahouse, Penglai Xianjing Teahouse, Lingzhixiu Teahouse