Yujia Xu
Yujia's PhD project title is 'Chinese Identi‘Tea’: Gendered Tea Geographies'. Read more about Yujia's research.
About Yujia
I am Yujia Xu 徐誉嘉 (she/her), an ethnic minority Chinese. I was born and grew up in Yunnan, China, the land where tea has its roots—and so do I.
My upbringing with tea has profoundly shaped my identity and research pursuits. With fifteen years immersed in Chinese tea culture, I passionately investigate how tea is made and enjoyed and its impact on various social and cultural identities, especially from a feminist perspective.
Research Interests
- Geography of food
- Tea Culture
- Gender studies
- Race/ethnicity
- Creative research
Personal interests
The heart to my interests is a deep love for tea. I enjoy discovering diverse tea cultures and traditions, immersing myself in every aspect of the tea experience.
The tea ceremony serves as my mindful practice, strengthening my mind-body connection and deepening my reflections. I value sharing tea with loved ones as a chance to connect, encourage meaningful conversations, and nurture a sense of belonging and support.
Presentations
- Tea/Tarot: Sensorial Labour Otherwise: Workshop and presentation in 2024 ATGender Conference at Utrecht University, Netherland
- Presentation of Yunnan Pu’er tea at the Chinese Classic History and Culture Conference at Taipei University, Taiwan.
- Chinese tea ceremony workshop at 2018 WOW: Women of the World Festival at Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, UK
- 2018 Hosted several Chinese tea art and tea tasting sessions at the House of Hope and Mercy in the Jungle Tea Shop, Exeter, UK
- 2017 Presenting Chinese tea ceremony with Roop Johnstone at his art installation The BellHouse Project, Exeter, UK
- 2016 Chinese Tea Ceremony presentation, Victoria Pottery Guild, Canada
Teaching
- (2022- present) Pro: NE Project Research Assistant
Academic qualifications, memberships and achievements
Education
- MRes in Critical Human Geography, University of Exeter, UK
Thesis: A Leaf of Tea, A Part of Me - BA in Geography and Environmental Studies (Double majored), University of Victoria, Canada
- BSc in Physical Geography and Resource Environment, Yunnan University, China
- MA Human Geography Research Methods, Newcastle University
- BA Geography, University of Cambridge
- 2021 - 2022: UK-Canada Globalink Doctoral Exchange Scheme
- 2018 - 2022: ESRC NINE DTP Masters and Doctoral (1+3) Studentship
- 2019: Iland Research and Travel Award
- 2016: Jesus College Research and Travel Grant
Qualifications
- Tea Sommelier, UK Tea Academy, UK
- Member of Consortium Chinese Floral Art Foundation, Taiwan
- Wagashi (茶菓子) Skill Training, China
- National Senior Tea Artist, China
- National Senior Tea Evaluator, China
- National Pu'er Tea Tasting and Collecting Specialist, China
- ICH Chinese Tea Acrobatics (茶百戏) Training Certification, China
Contact and further information
E-mail: Y.Xu80@newcastle.ac.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ujyujia/