"To me, tea is not simply a drink," Russian tea master Elena Pazhetnykh said. "It is a doorway into Chinese culture and a natural bridge between people."

by Xinhua writers Xu Weikai, He Yiran, Zhang Chaoqun

MOSCOW, May 21 (Xinhua) -- In a tranquil teahouse nestled in Moscow's southwestern suburbs, the crisp chime of bronze bells filled the air. Russian tea master Elena Pazhetnykh gently shook a pair of bells, gracefully signaling the beginning of a Chinese tea gathering.

Next to her, 30-year-old Russian tea master Fyodor Leziev fanned a charcoal stove till the fire slowly came alive. Guests sat quietly around the wooden table, savoring cups of tea as the aroma of brewing leaves gradually filled the space.

Such scenes are not rare in today's Moscow. Inside the tea house named "Su He Xuan" in Chinese, the twice-a-week tea gatherings have become a regular ritual for local enthusiasts.

The tea house was founded by a Chinese-Russian couple: Russian tea master Vladimir Bekov and his wife Wen Yilei, a senior Chinese tea artist.

Bekov believes tea is about harmony between people, tea, water, utensils and atmosphere. To find the best water for brewing, he spent months testing water sources around Moscow till finally settling on a natural spring more than an hour's drive from the tea house.

"The same tea can taste completely different depending on the water," he said. "Good water awakens the true character of tea."

"The aroma and aftertaste struck me immediately," Leziev recalled. "I had never experienced that kind of peace and comfort before."

What began as casual tastings gradually grew into years of devoted study and eventually became inseparable from his life. Three years ago, when "Su He Xuan" was founded, Leziev immediately decided to join.

Pazhetnykh soon followed him. For both of them, the tearoom is far more than a place to drink tea; it has become a space for sharing Chinese culture and building connections through tea.

"To me, tea is not simply a drink," Pazhetnykh said. "It is a doorway into Chinese culture and a natural bridge between people."

For first-time visitor Tatyana Goncharenko, the experience offered something deeper than flavor alone. "One of the beauties of Chinese tea is that every cup creates a different emotional experience," she said.

"Culture can feel abstract, but taste is something concrete," Bekov said. "Through the aroma and flavor of tea, people begin to touch the culture behind it."

"The greatest strength of tea culture is that people can feel it directly. A single sip, or the beauty of a tea vessel, can become the starting point for understanding China," he said.

From the suburbs of Moscow to the heart of the city, Chinese tea culture is taking root among local residents, finding new expressions across the Russian capital.

In downtown Moscow, another tea space named "Heights of Tea" is exploring different ways of bringing Chinese tea culture closer to everyday life.

Viktor Enin introduced visitors to one of its most unusual creations: tea-flavored ice cream. With more than 160 flavors developed, all are infused with tea aromas and made from natural ingredients.

The 51-year-old began studying tea culture in 2002. Four years later, he started experimenting with tea desserts and beverages, hoping to make tea culture more accessible to ordinary Russians.

"Instead of existing only within complicated ceremonies, tea should become part of daily life," he said.

Over time, his creations expanded beyond ice cream to include tea chocolate, tea cocktails and tea-infused lemonade.

"Only when tea truly returns to everyday life can more people naturally accept it and understand it," he said.

"Chinese tea culture has already taken root in Russia," Enin said. "Especially during long, cold winters, tea brings warmth to gatherings and helps people feel connected."