The 23rd Sharjah Heritage Days is in full swing in the UAE's cultural capital from Feb. 4 to 15. This year, the festival has invited nine nations to showcase their ancestral traditions alongside local Emirati customs at the "Heart of Sharjah." From the rhythmic chants of Arabic folklore to the intricate art of traditional rope making, the event is a vibrant tapestry of local heritage.

But this year, there's a new thread in the weave. For the first time, the Sharjah Institute for Heritage has invited a delegation of Chinese master artisans. They are bringing Chinese traditions to the desert—ranging from the vivid details of Chinese dough sculpting and traditional hand-weaving to the aromatic grace of herbal sachets and the refined elegance of bespoke Qipao tailoring.

Zhou Lin, the director of Chinese Culture Exchange Center of Sharjah Institute of Heritage says to CGTN, "These masters aren't just here to perform; they are communicating with their Arabian peers. By exchanging gifts and sharing techniques of their crafts, they are building a bridge of mutual respect and cultural resonance between our two peoples."

The centerpiece of this cultural encounter is an area dedicated to tea. Here, visitors explore the evolution of tea-making, admire exquisite teapots, and witness the meditative precision of Chinese tea artistry. For many local visitors, it's a rare chance to pause and experience the tea firsthand.

"Tea is a cornerstone of Chinese identity, but it's also a shared language. The Arab world has a long, storied history of tea consumption, and today, we even see tea plantations taking root here in the UAE," says prof. Wang Xufeng, honorary dean of the Tea and Tea Culture College of Zhejiang A&F University, who is heading the "tea delegation," "Bringing Chinese tea culture to Sharjah is about more than a drink; it's about a shared dialogue between two great civilizations."

As the old Arabic proverb goes: "A cup of coffee is a bond that lasts forty years." With the addition of Chinese tea, that bond is growing even stronger.