Yang Ying, a native of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, is the founder of Séréni' Thé Paris, or Yinlu Tea House, in Paris, France. With her sincere love for Chinese culture, she creates a cultural space filled with the aroma of tea, and she uses that aroma to help showcase the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture to the world.
Passion for Tea Culture
Yang, who was born into an artistic family, was influenced by her father, a painter, from an early age. She was exposed to traditional Chinese culture from the time she was young; for example, not only was she highly skilled in playing guqin (a traditional Chinese musical instrument), but she also developed a passion for tea culture.
In 2009, Yang moved to France. After she graduated from university, in 2019, she began working at a financial institution in Paris. During her spare time, she would often sip a cup of fragrant tea to soothe her mind. "People in Chengdu have always loved drinking tea, and I am no exception. Whether I am in China, or far away, in France, tea is always my closest companion, accompanying me through every moment of my life," Yang says.
Paris, oft-hailed as the City of Art, brings together people from around the world, causing different cultures to collide — and blend. The city's open and inclusive atmosphere provides fertile ground for the spread of Chinese culture.
Yang has been delighted by the fact Parisians' love for Chinese culture has been growing exponentially. One day, by chance, she met a French tea enthusiast. "He told me local tea lovers often travel around the world to attend tea expos. They have a strong interest in Chinese tea culture, and they are well aware of the significant status of Chinese tea in the world." Yang became emotional as she recalled the conversation with that man.
It was that chance meeting that planted a seed in her heart; she decided to open a Chinese-style tea house, in Paris, to give Parisians greater opportunities to experience the charm of Chinese tea culture.
Market research convinced Yang her idea was sound. "Parisians love coffee, just as people in Chengdu can't do without Gaiwan tea (tea brewed in a lidded bowl). One is romantic, the other elegant. If I can make drinking Chinese tea as simple and stylish as drinking coffee, Parisians might just fall for this wisp of Oriental fragrance," Yang told herself.
'Chinese Imprint'
Yinlu Tea House officially opened in 2023. It is located in the eighth arrondissement of Paris, neighboring the élysée Palace and Place de la Concorde, and perfectly echoing the meaning of "finding tranquility in the midst of clamor," as implied by the Chinese name, Yinlu. The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was the golden age of China's tea industry, and its elegant tea customs are still being passed down to this day. Consequently, Yang and her partners chose "Song-style aesthetics" as the cultural positioning for the tea house.
From its spatial layout to its detailed design, the arrangement of Yinlu Tea House is full of ingenuity. For example, Yang ordered custom-made bamboo tables and chairs from Shehong, a city in Sichuan Province known for its abundant bamboo forests. Although international shipping and duties significantly increased the overall cost, Yang insisted on customizing the majority of items in the tea house, to provide an accurate reflection of China. From the large tea tables to the small tea cups, the tea house carries a profound sense of Oriental culture.
All of the tea leaves used in the tea house are imported from China. Jasmine tea and Gaiwan tea are especially popular among customers.
Yang has adopted innovative ways to make the tea more suitable to Europeans. For example, she noticed Europeans didn't like tea leaves getting into their mouths when drinking Gaiwan tea. So, she uses a specially designed filter to hold back the tea leaves.
In addition to authentic teas, the tea house serves new, Chinese-style, tea-based pastries. Yang combines traditional Chinese flavors with French pastry techniques. For example, flaky pastries, wrapped in rose petals, offer a blend of a floral and milky taste upon first bite. Also, golden, glossy lava-custard moon cakes masterfully fuse the flavors of milk and salted egg yolks. In addition, uniquely shaped pomegranate pastries pair their vibrant red crusts with the refreshing fragrance of tea.
"Tea snacks should also be infused with the essence of tea. Our snacks emphasize a perfect balance of color, aroma and taste, and the plate serving snacks is often adorned with a green bamboo leaf, or a dried flower, to let Song-style aesthetics flow naturally," Yang says.
A Frenchman, Abdel, is a regular at Yinlu Tea House, visiting two or three times a week and often bringing friends along. He considers treating his friends at the tea house to be the highest form of hospitality. "It feels wonderful to be able to drink such authentic Chinese tea here," he says.
"Throughout the years, since our opening, the tea house has attracted many repeat customers. They believe this place not only serves excellent tea, but also possesses a profound sense of Oriental atmosphere," Yang says. "Even if they don't step inside for tea, people passing by are often drawn to the bamboo tables and chairs in front of the tea house, stopping to take photos, and to capture the scene as a tangible 'Chinese imprint' they can personally experience."
Spreading Culture
While using tea as a medium, Yang and her partners have planned and participated in various activities to make tea culture a vibrant carrier of Chinese culture.
In November 2022, the tea house began trial operations. During its first major event, the tea house served as the starting point for the French Boyan Hanfu Association's parade on Champs-élysées. Yang's team provided tea-beverage services during the event. "During that time, many hanfu enthusiasts came to the tea house, and we created a ceremonial tea culture experience for them," Yang recalls.
The event's success was a source of encouragement for Yang, and a source of inspiration. She has since planned various cultural activities, which have helped transform Yinlu Tea House from a simple, commercial venue into a cultural-experience space, imbued with Eastern charm.
In March 2024, Yang was invited to the opening ceremony of "60 Years of Deep Friendship — Stories of Chinese and French People" exhibition, hosted by European Times. The exhibition showcased the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture, through tea-art performances and cultural presentations. Many people interacted with Yang, and some expressed a desire to experience the tea-making process firsthand.
"We regularly offer tea-ceremony and guqin-experience classes to the French Youth Chinese Association, helping the younger generation better connect with traditional culture," Yang says.
Yang was also invited to the Confucius Institute, in Paris, to participate in a tea-themed event, where she gave a detailed explanation of the development of Chinese-tea-ceremony culture to about 30 French people. The event received a positive response. "Tea is just one of the carriers helping traditional Chinese culture go global," Yang says. The tea house has also organized diverse Chinese cultural activities, themed guqin, Peking Opera, calligraphy and other topics, to allow visitors to experience the elegance of Chinese culture from multiple perspectives, all amidst the fragrance of tea.
Also, the tea house has partnered with local schools to promote Chinese culture through study tours, cultural lectures and various other forms, to open the window so students can appreciate traditional Chinese aesthetics.
During the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, the tea house organized a series of special-themed activities. "We invited local residents and Chinese international students to gather at the tea house, to watch the games while enjoying tea and participating in traditional Chinese games, like touhu, or pitch pot (a game in which the winner is decided by the number of arrows thrown into a distant pot)," Yang says.
In April 2025, the Children's Calligraphy Workshop opened at the tea house. It was designed for children aged 3-12, to let them experience Chinese calligraphy.
"Within just one year, we have hosted and/or participated in more than 60 events, allowing more than 20,000 Chinese and international friends to experience the unique charm of Chinese tea culture up close. We are greatly encouraged by these results," Yang says.
Looking ahead, Yang is full of confidence. "I will continue to deepen my efforts to promote tea culture in France, and I will use Yinlu as a bridge to let more friends experience the profound heritage and unique charm of Chinese culture," Yang says.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly September 2026)
Editor: Wang Shasha
