Something's brewing!

Editor's note: In this weekly feature China Daily gives voice to Asia and its people. The stories presented come mainly from the Asia News Network (ANN), of which China Daily is among its 20 leading titles.

At the quirky little Tanah dan Air Tea Bar in Petaling Jaya, tea artist Law Siow Fei is hard at work. Hunched over a long table, she gently pours tea out of a tiny little tea pot into three equally tiny porcelain cups, then passes one to a customer.

"This is a Phoenix Oolong tea — it is very popular among the Teochew community," she says.

The tea is aromatic and nuanced, with floral streaks running through its golden waters.

Across the space, another table is occupied by a young couple, their heads bowed over cups of Chinese tea, sipping intently and oohing and aahing as they rediscover the pleasures of this heritage brew.

In many ways, people like Law are keeping the culture and knowledge of traditional Chinese tea alive in Malaysia, paving the way for younger generations to appreciate this ancient beverage.

In Malaysia, Chinese tea has a history that dates back to the 15th century when Admiral Zheng He first brought tea to Malacca during his voyages. The intermarriage of Chinese traders with local women and the eventual Peranakan communities that sprung from these unions also created a demand and interest in Chinese tea in then-Malaya.