Quality Alchemist (品質煉金術師): Tea Culture Seminar - from Tea to Business Philosophy (由茶道到商道)

A Tea Culture Seminar entitled “From Tea to Business Philosophy” (由茶道到商道), which organized by EngD Society, MEEM Dept. of The City University of Hong Kong on 16 April 2011. Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ) was one of supporting organizations.

In the beginning, Mr. Walter Fung (Vice-chairman, EngD Society) introduced speakers of the seminar.

The first speaker was Dr. Hongy Sun (Associate Professor, MEEM of CityU) and this presentation was “Tea Culture and Innovation”.

Dr. Sun discussed the relationship between Chinese Culture and Creativity. Usually, it was from one to many (Multifunction). He introduced the relationship as follows:

Culture to Innovation (Technology and Management) to Competitive Power and Economic improvement included Resource and Efficiency.

Dr. Sun compared the knife in China and West Countries. It was observed no much variation of Chinese knife. But kind of tea cup was opposite. There were so many different creative type of Chinese tea cup.

It may be the culture of Tea induced Tea Cup and Leave Innovation.

The second speaker was Prof. Cheng, Pei-kai (Director of Chinese Civilisation Centre, CityU) and his topic named “Chinese Tea Culture and Social Economics”.

Firstly, Prof. Cheng introduced the history of Tea. Mr. Luk (陸羽) was called “God of Tea” in China because he was the first people study the tea systematically and he wrote the first book of tea called “茶經” in Tang Dynasty (唐朝).

Prof. Cheng introduced three type of tea drinking.

Even though many people know Way of Tea (茶道) from Japan, actually Mr. Luk created the Way of Tea (茶道) since Tang Dynasty and it was more popular in Song Dynasty (宋朝).

Then Prof. Cheng briefed many different types of tea tools.

The third speaker was Dr. HY Cheung (Associate Professor, BCH Dept. of CityU) and his topic entitled “The benefit of Chinese Tea on Health”.

Dr. Cheung introduced the different compositions of the tea which passed through different manufacturing process. It focused on Catechin (兒茶素), Theaflavins (茶黃素) and Thearubigins (茶紅素).

The following table showed the composition of Chinese Tea.

Catechin (兒茶素) is a natural phenol antioxidant plant secondary. Green tea contained 70% of Catechin.

Dr. Cheung demonstrated that the tea contained much more antioxidant (抗氧化物) than other drinks.

Then he explained the mechanism how Chinese Tea against Cancer in six dimensions.

l Cell proliferation & differentiation

l Cell Cycle Arrest

l Antioxidant

l Enzyme induction & inhibition

l Modulate Gene Expression

l Apoptosis

The Oolong tea (Polyphenol extract) was found to inhibit the cancer cell growth (anti-cancer).

Dr. Cheung introduced some publication from his research team.

Award obtained from Lee On Ki.

(Left: Ms. Lee On Ki, Dr. HY Cheung and Dr. Hongy Sun)

The last speaker was Ms. Katherine Yu (Operation Manager / Tea Master, Heritage Tea House) and she shared her experience in studying tea in past 16 years.

The she demonstrated the process of tea preparation.

After that Mr. Rocky Lam (Chairman, EngD Society) was chaired the discussion forum. Each speakers were discussed the relationship among tea, research and business.