A deep interest in Chinese tea has led Muhd Hariz Mohd Azhar, a final-year English for International Communication student at the International Islamic University Malaysia’s Pagoh campus, to discover a rich cultural and social world. Over the past five years, Muhd Hariz has immersed himself in the complexities of Chinese tea, exploring its history, varieties, and brewing techniques.

His fascination began during the Covid-19 movement control order (MCO), when he started researching Chinese tea's origins and influence worldwide. Through this exploration, he learned about numerous tea types and preparation methods, ranging from Chaozhou and Yixing styles to Taiwanese techniques. He also found that the choice of teapot—whether clay or porcelain—could significantly affect the tea's flavor.

Following the end of the MCO, Muhd Hariz began visiting tea shops and exhibitions, connecting with fellow tea enthusiasts and promoting Chinese tea culture during public roadshows. His growing experience has sharpened his palate, allowing him to identify various ingredients and spices in dishes more precisely.

While acknowledging that the art of tea-making demands patience and attention to detail, Muhd Hariz appreciates the rewarding outcome. He likened the process of tea preparation to life itself, emphasizing that sincere effort and patience eventually lead to sweetness.

Recently, Muhd Hariz was featured at the Malaysian Teochew Tea Art Association booth during a Teochew Culture and Food Festival held at a shopping mall in Petaling Jaya. Yap Tze Kien, president of the association, recalled how he met Muhd Hariz through the Johor Tea Art Association and introduced him to Teochew tea art, including its comprehensive 21-step module and certification programme imported from China, which Muhd Hariz joined enthusiastically.

Yap highlighted the significance of each step in the tea ritual, explaining that the Teochew style uses a small teapot with three cups arranged to resemble the Chinese character “pin,” meaning tasting or appreciating. He stressed the importance of preserving these traditional details to prevent the art from devolving into a mere brewing technique.

In 2022, Teochew Gong Fu Tea Art was recognized on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, under the broader category of "Traditional Tea Processing Techniques and Associated Social Practices in China."

Yap encourages more Malaysians to embrace the cultural depth of tea-making, viewing it as more than a beverage but as a practice embodying respect, patience, skill, and tranquility. Muhd Hariz’s journey underscores how an appreciation for tea can foster cross-cultural friendships and a deeper understanding of tradition.