A Brief Analysis of the Transmission Path, Local Transformation and Contemporary Challenges of Southeast Asian Tea Culture

Abstract

Based on communication theory, this paper systematically sorts out the dissemination process, localization evolution and challenges faced by modern development of Chinese tea culture in Southeast Asian countries. Relying on the important channel of "Maritime Tea Road", Chinese tea culture is deeply integrated into Southeast Asian society, intertwined and interactively influenced by local religious beliefs, social structure and colonial history, and thus derived unique tea culture forms such as Myanmar Zen tea and Singapore's diversified tea meals. Under the dual tension of globalization and localization, contemporary Southeast Asian tea culture shows a trend of "re-traditionalization", and its communication practice provides an important and valuable paradigm for cross-cultural research. This paper proposes the concept of constructing a "symbiotic communication ecology" to provide solid theoretical support for the sustainable development of Southeast Asian tea culture.