The artist tells stories of Bill Gates enjoying tea meditation on Son Tra Peak

Thai Ba Dung – Tuoi Tre online

During his visit to Da Nang, the billionaire Bill Gates’ group invited Vietnamese tea artist Hoang Anh Suong to serve tea for the billionaire and his girlfriend on Son Tra Peak.

Artist Hoang Anh Suong, nun, billionaire, and billionaire’s girlfriend on Ban Co peak. Photo: Provided by artist Hoang Anh Suong

On the morning of March 8, when chatting with Tuoi Tre Online, artist Hoang Anh Suong said that both sides had agreed upon some of his pictures and stories with the billionaire.

* How did Bill Gates invite you to serve meditation tea?

– At 5:00 p.m. on March 6, on top of Ban Co Mountain in Son Tra Peninsula (Da Nang), I was thrilled to organize a tea meditation session for billionaire Bill Gates and his girlfriend, Ms. Paula Hurd.

Because of the unique nature, Mr. Bill Gates’s assistant team flew to Hanoi two days before and came to my house to discuss this in detail.

According to the choice of Mr. Bill Gates’s two assistants, I will brew with an antique tea set of the ancient aristocratic class, including a stove, a bronze stove, charcoal, a teapot, a tea boat, a serving cup, and a military cup. , mosaic station tray…

* Are you under pressure to serve the founder of Microsoft?

– I have a lot of experience welcoming guests. I don’t have any stress or anxiety. Preparation is also rapid.

Because the natural scenery on top of Ban Co Mountain is so beautiful, my colleagues and I just set up an antique set of tables and chairs borrowed from a temple there. We placed the tea tools as a small vase of flowers, making the tea enjoyment space extremely beautiful.

We invited a nun to join us to contribute more peaceful energy to the tea meditation session.

The table and chairs for the tea meditation session were brought to the top of Ban Co. Photo: Provided by artist Hoang Anh Suong

* Can you tell us more about the meeting with this special guest?

– At exactly 5:00 p.m. on March 6, the convoy carrying two guests stopped at the foot of the mountain. Mr. Bill Gates, Ms. Paula Hurd, and a member of the organizing committee slowly went up the hill. The management board and Mr. Bill Gates’ bodyguards did not accompany him.

About 2 hours earlier, the route passing through Ban Co Mountain restricted passersby. The two guests responded to our greeting with friendly smiles. They wear T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers, looking like typical tourists.

At this time, the sunlight was fading. The wind blowing from the sea is calm. The thin mist makes the scene even more poetic. Mr. Bill Gates and Ms. Paula Hurd were very excited.

After sending greetings and wishes for health, peace, and happiness, I invited my grandparents to meditate.

The small bell in my hand rang in the peaceful space. I guide meditation for grandparents. A few minutes later, everything became quiet. I heard the sound coming from the wings of a bee flying nearby.

Meditating for about 10 minutes, we stopped. Ms. Paula Hurd exclaimed: “I feel so peaceful.” Her face was so bright.

* How did Mr. Bill Gates and Ms. Paula Hurd receive his first cup of tea?

– They drank very quickly the first cup of tea I offered them. I asked: “Is the tea too strong for you and your grandparents?”. Ms. Paula Hurd smiled and replied: “No. I find it very delicious.”

The answer surprised me. Because most Westerners are used to drinking black tea with a light taste, when drinking Xinjiang tea (I often marinate lotus flowers with Xinjiang tea), they frequently complain of acridness.

Ms. Paula Hurd explained further: “Because I often drink green tea at home.”

Ban Co Peak on Son Tra peninsula. Photo: Truong Trung

While enjoying tea, I shared with my grandparents the sophisticated, delicate, and elaborate art of marinating lotus tea of the Hanoi people. The grandparents cried out in surprise. Ms. Paula Hurd said: “Now I understand why lotus tea is so precious. And why, in the past, this type of tea in Vietnam was only for kings.”

Turning to Mr. Bill Gates, she joked: “You and I have now become kings and queens.” Both smiled brightly.

* How does the tea meditation session take place?

– I teach them how to hold a cup of tea and enjoy it delicately. How do you bring a cup of tea to your nose and take deep breaths to feel the aroma? Finally, he raised it to his lips and took the first sip of tea.

Hearing that, Mr. Bill Gates looked at Ms. Paula Hurd and smiled, and said: “So, up until now, we have always been drinking tea in the “wet cow” style?”. They both laughed. I also laughed.

At the end of the tea meditation session, I devoted much time to talking about meditation and spirituality in tea. They listened attentively. At 6:20 p.m., they booked 20 minutes past the meditation tea time. I want to end. The grandparents smiled back and expressed their thanks.

At this time, the nun asked for a few bells and prayed for her grandparents and everyone on this planet to always be safe and happy.

Sunset has disappeared forever. Looking down at the sea, the sea is purple. The city lights up. Ms. Paula Hurd exclaimed: “So beautiful!”.

__________

We took some commemorative photos together. Everyone’s face looks full of peace and happiness. Before saying goodbye, I said thank you and looked forward to meeting my grandparents again in Vietnam.

At 7:30 p.m., I went down the mountain and returned to the hotel. On the way, I kept thinking about Mr. Bill Gates being a billionaire. He had hundreds of thousands of jobs and was only in Vietnam for a few days. But instead of partying, he and his girlfriend earnestly wanted to listen and learn about Vietnamese tea culture.

That alone is truly admirable!

Vietnamese tea artist Hoang Anh Suong