*Editor's Note: this interview was originally conducted in Mandarin Chinese.

Ivon and her family immigrated to Vancouver in 2005. It was a simple decision at the time. They wanted their two children to have an education that felt freer and less pressured than in China. Back home, the education system was already intense at early grade school levels. For Ivon and her husband, leaving was about giving their children space to grow without the heavy burden of competition.

Like many families who made the move during that time, their choice of destination was less about deep research and more about timing. Originally, they considered New Zealand because the immigration process seemed faster. But when policies changed midway, their immigration lawyer suggested Canada, where the process was smoother. Looking back, Ivon describes it as destiny; things simply unfolded that way.

Settling in Vancouver, life at first felt quiet, even a little monotonous. Beyond raising children, there weren’t many community activities to join. So when their children grew older, Ivon and her friends longed for a place to gather. Ideally it would be somewhere calm and beyond the routine of dining out. This idea grew into Cha Li 茶里, a tea art space Ivon opened in June 2019 in Vancouver’s West End.

At first, Cha Li 茶里 wasn’t built on grand ambitions. It was simply a space to enjoy tea together, a place for connection. But as the community grew, Ivon noticed something more. Many people—both Chinese and non-Chinese—were deeply curious about tea culture but didn’t have a space to truly experience it. Slowly, Cha Li 茶里 became more than a teahouse. It became a cultural hub where conversations about tea turned into conversations about art, trust, and community.

Tea had long been a part of Ivon’s life. Before immigrating, she worked in Yunnan, where her team sponsored local villages and built small medical stations. As a gesture of gratitude, villagers shared their homegrown tea, which Ivon came to love. What began as a small connection grew into a lasting relationship, eventually giving Ivon access to a tea garden in Yunnan. Years later, that garden would become the foundation for the teas now served at Cha Li: pure, traditional, without additives, and deeply tied to memory.

In Vancouver, Cha Li also evolved into a bridge between cultures. Ivon and her team began hosting tea classes, introducing people to the six classic types of Chinese tea and the traditions behind them. For many Western participants—artists, professors, and professionals—tea became a way of entering Chinese culture through taste and ritual. Ivon often notes how Westerners approach tea with fresh curiosity, unburdened by price or prestige, and more attuned to the subtle flavors and aromas.

In May 2023, Cha Li 茶里 hosted Vancouver’s first Chinese Tea Brewing Competition. Six countries participated, showing how tea connects across borders. For Ivon, it confirmed something she felt deeply: while the world struggles with conflicts and misunderstandings, tea can create spaces of openness and inclusion.

What began as a family’s migration for education has grown into a larger mission of cultural exchange. Through Cha Li 茶里, Ivon has created not only a gathering space for old friends but also a bridge between communities. For her, tea is more than a drink. It is a way of finding belonging, of passing trust from one hand to another.