Tea Specialists are badly needed in Shanghai

    It was reported by Shanghai-Daily that the art of making tea has hit a bump in Shanghai, amid growing concern over the lack of skilled tea-making specialists in the city.

    This has prompted the Shanghai Labor and Social Security Bureau to launch a 6-month government-funded program for three years to cultivate tea-serving specialists. The Bureau officials said on 22nd Oct 2002 that the program will start in December. Describing the tea-making specialists as "tea artists," Liu Qigui, secretary-general of the Shanghai Tea Association, said they will show people how to make the tea, "and their introduction and demonstration not only promotes China's tea culture but also boosts the tea business." Liu was assigned by the bureau to be in charge of the training program. According to the bureau, among some 30,000 locals serving in the tea industry, including culture, sales and tea houses, there are only 110 people holding junior-level tea-serving certificate and 28 holding middle-level certificates. Not a single local has a senior-level certificate, attesting to his or her knowledge and skill in making tea. Shanghai now has more than 3,000 teahouses." Lu Ling, manager of Tian Shan Tea Town said the town needs six senior tea-making specialists, who are nowhere to be found at present, in Shanghai city" .