Mr Li is the inventor of Birt&Tang teas. He was born in 1954 in Shanghai to academic parents. In 1970 during the early stages of the Cultural Revolution he was sent to the Anhui mountain region of China for re-education. This was a profound time in his life, and although his experiences sound horrendous he values this time and the understanding of life which it has given him. After the fall of Mao and the end of the cultural revolution he went on to become a professor of philosophy at Shanghai university one of China's most prestigious universities. In China he developed his philosophical learnings, focusing particularly on life's elemental essence which is called Xi.
The inspiration for the teas come purely from Mr Li's philosophical back-round, in fact Birt&Tang has become the medium through which Mr Li has been able to express his philosophy. For close to a decade Mr Li worked the formulae, perfecting the taste and the accompanying message. Birt&Tang teas are about lifestyle; They are about the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures; They are about balance: the balance of body and mind; and the balancing of modern frenetic life; the balance of ones Xi.
A small word must be said about the beautiful packaging. The artwork is by Xiaolan Li, Mr Li's Wife, a famous Chinese artist who Lectures at several London universities. The colours are mellow and psychologically alluring. The lay out is open and transparent, we believe that the consumer should know and care about what they are consuming. The packaging is sophisticated and intelligent looking, put it in your cupboard and make your cupboard look good!