On 17 October 2026, the China Cultural Center in The Hague hosted its Autumn Tea Gathering, co-organised with the Netherlands Hexing Calligraphy and Painting Society. The event focused on traditional Chinese ink landscape painting and was attended by Yu Jian, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, and 12 guests from the Dutch arts community.

The session began with instructor Lin Yong introducing the four traditional Chinese arts — music, Go, calligraphy and painting. Guests were then served Yashixiang oolong tea from Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, marking the start of an immersive cultural experience.

After introducing the tools and materials used in Chinese painting, Lin Yong demonstrated how to grind an ink stick and explained the process of creating a traditional landscape painting step by step. Guests followed the instructions closely and practised the techniques themselves. The aromas of tea and ink created a distinctive atmosphere, allowing participants to explore Chinese tea culture alongside the art of painting.

To complete their artworks, guests stamped their paintings with a seal bearing the Chinese characters Xiuxin (修心), meaning “cultivating the mind”, in traditional seal script. Participants included professors from Dutch art academies and graphic designers, whose works demonstrated considerable artistic skill. The Center also provided guests with English-language travel guides to various regions of China.

The gathering offered participants an opportunity to experience Chinese ink painting and tea culture first-hand, fostering cultural understanding and exchange between China and the Netherlands.

The China Cultural Center in The Hague will continue to organise immersive cultural activities on a variety of themes, introducing more local audiences to the richness and enduring appeal of Chinese culture.