When I was growing up in China, tea was simply part of everyday life. It flowed quietly through my days without me realizing how deeply it was shaping me. I would add some leaves to hot water without even asking what kind of tea it was, what aroma it carried, or how it made me feel.

And tea is everywhere. In Zhejiang, people often serve Longjing, which is their pride.

In Yunnan, if you love tea, you’re surrounded by it — especially the rich, earthy Pu-erh that defines the region. Day and night, people drink it almost instead of water.

And then, in Chengdu, there is a scene I can never forget.

Early in the morning, I walked by a lake and saw small tea stands around the Lake — quiet and calm, with the steam of hot water visible meters away.

Sitting down, they hand you a gaiwan, a few grams of jasmine tea, and pour hot water from a big thermos.

You lift the lid, watch the steam rise, and in front of you, lotus flowers ripple gently on the lake.

It’s simple, peaceful, and deeply romantic — the kind of beauty that only tea can reveal.

When I turned eighteen, I joined a Tea Culture Society at university.

For four years, I learned the art of the tea ceremony — how to prepare tea with care, how to “wake” the leaves, how to read their fragrance, how every infusion changes like a conversation.

During those years, we read a lot, participated in tea exhibitions everywhere, and hosted our own tea ceremonies — preparing tea, choosing teaware, and selecting music. Some of my classmates even played traditional instruments during the sessions.

Each step taught me patience, focus, and respect.

Over time, I visited tea farms, met artisans, and tasted hundreds of teas.

Eventually, I could tell what kind of tea I was drinking from its aroma and aftertaste.

Until one day, I drank tea at someone’s home, and from the very first sip, I felt something was missing — the water temperature was wrong; the tea’s soul didn’t bloom. For the first time, I felt deep sympathy for the leaves.

Until one day, after moving to France, I fell in love with desserts.

French pâtisseries became my new obsession — every piece felt like artwork.

But I always felt something was incomplete: these exquisite creations rarely met an equally good cup of tea.

Day by day, as I visited bakeries, tea houses, and friends across Europe,

my small dream became a big ambition —

to share my passion for tea with the world,

to help more people experience good tea.

And that’s how Teaphor began.

🌿 Teaphor — Tea for Everyone

In China, our lives are guided by the rhythm of the twenty-four solar terms, flowing through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and rooted in the wisdom of the Five Elements.

As written in the Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon):

“Man is in harmony with heaven and earth, and aligned with the sun and moon.”

Human beings are part of nature — our lives follow the same rhythm as the seasons, the sun, and the moon.

For generations, we’ve learned to listen to nature — and to our own bodies. Tea has always been part of this dialogue: certain teas support the body in spring, others in summer, and so on. Over time, we’ve come to understand how to choose tea according to the season and our own inner balance.

Today, in cities across the world, you’ll find bubble tea and milk tea shops on every corner. These are modern evolutions of tea culture — not a rejection of tradition, but a reinvention.

Many of these shops still begin with carefully selected, high-quality, seasonal tea leaves, honoring the essence of tea even in contemporary forms like fruit tea, milk tea, or herbal blends.

All those experiences inspired Teaphor.

Our name holds a meaning:

Good tea for everyone.

At Teaphor, we don’t just sell tea — we recommend what to drink based on the season and your body’s needs.

Every tea on our menu is one I have personally tasted and selected.

I believe tea should be enjoyable and relaxing, helping you feel more in tune with yourself and the world around you.

I also share how to brew tea well — to bring out its full character and depth — because that’s how you truly enjoy the tea itself.

I want to show how to use a good tea base to make:

• a clean, pure infusion,

• a rich and flavorful milk tea,

• or a vibrant, refreshing fruit iced tea —

all without compromising the quality of the leaves.

💫 My Ambitions

I want to see more and more people brewing tea,

To see good tea everywhere — at friends’ houses, in patisseries, and ideally, Gaiwans appearing on tables everywhere.

I want to help people reconnect with nature,

And to experience the living spirit of tea — in every single cup.