We’re looking forward to introducing you to So-Han Fan. Check out our conversation below.
So-Han, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I’m gonna go with wandering, and I’ll tell you why. I know what I am, where I’ve been, and I know where I want to go, but I also know that the teahouse is going somewhere that no one has ever been. A path implies absolute clarity – there’s level ground, a trail, and one can see the exact steps forward. I don’t love the word wandering if it implies a lack of direction – I see wandering as an exploration, hacking away, noticing, interacting, overcoming obstacles, and discovering the how.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
West China Tea House is a traditional Chinese-style tea house and importer of farm-direct teas. You can stop in and drink tea, buy tea and handcrafted teaware, sit and chat with others, and come to local events. I guess you could say West China Tea is really a house of relationships. We know all of our tea farmers by name, their stories, and their process. Tea has numerous health and mental benefits, and it invites you to sit for a moment with yourself, community, and tea. Come learn more about the tea experience!
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
West China Tea House gets guests from every kind of background, coming together over tea, so I love this question. Bonds break with breaches of trust, a difference of perspective, and complex disagreements, Some disagreements can be resolved over discussion, but even when we can’t resolve a difference, we can transcend that difference by seeing ourselves and the other as being part of a larger team that encompasses all those differences.
What restores bonds is recognition of our mutual humanity, and that’s best accomplished by allowing ourselves to be present in each other’s company, rather than trying to force “resolve” through intellectualizing what might be irreconcilable differences.
Ultimately, what’s happening is that people stop seeing each other as being on the same team. They stop trying to have empathy for each other. It’s one thing to focus on the negative idea of someone and the things that divide us, and it’s another to sit and have tea with somebody, and really connect, face-to-face.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me resilience, and perhaps more importantly, agility. As a small business owner, one has to pivot to meet uncertain and unpredictable circumstances. When the pandemic hit, we had to completely shut down operations because there wasn’t a COVID-friendly way to drink tea together. We pivoted to an online, ecommerce shop for our teas, teaware, and educational videos that still runs today. After COVID, our previous tea house location of 7 years was seized by imminent domain, displaced by the expansion of I-35, and things were dark existentially for a moment. Yet, we endured, and we were one of two organizations that received relocation assistance from the state for our community impact, and now we’re in a new house on 7th, and it’s ours, and it’s been so fulfilling bringing it together.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Community is a word that gets tossed around a lot these days, but it needs to be unpacked. For us, it’s not just banding together with people you agree with, it’s interfacing with those with whom you don’t agree and putting those differences aside for a moment. Instead, just hang out and drink tea together. Don’t just tolerate others, look for ways to genuinely appreciate them. True compassion is inconvenient. Just as we celebrate each different tea for its nuances and unique characteristics, we should strive to recognize and appreciate what each team member and guest brings to the table, showing up as they are.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Like wine, tea gets better with age! I’m sitting on a 1997 Qing Xhuan (green brick) hei-cha tea, which is a fermented tea that’s known for its medicinal qualities. In 7-10 years, it’ll be even more delicious (and more expensive).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://westchinatea.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westchinatea/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/teahouseghost
Image Credits
Photography by Michelle Ray and Montsho Jarreau Thoth
