Hoàng Anh Sướng, born in 1973 in Hanoi, Vietnam, is widely recognized as one of Vietnam’s most respected tea artisans, with a lifelong dedication to West Lake Lotus Tea, the most refined and culturally significant tea tradition of Vietnam.
His journey with tea began not as a commercial pursuit, but as a deep cultural practice rooted in traditional Vietnamese values. Over decades of continuous practice, research, and refinement, he has mastered the complete traditional process of hand-scenting lotus tea using West Lake lotus anthers—a craft that demands extraordinary precision, patience, and experiential knowledge.
Unlike industrial or simplified methods, the traditional West Lake lotus tea process requires careful selection of base tea, precise timing in harvesting lotus flowers, meticulous extraction of lotus anthers, and repeated scenting and drying cycles carried out entirely by hand. Master Hoàng Anh Sướng is among the very few artisans who fully preserve and apply these traditional techniques in their original form.
What distinguishes his work is a firm commitment to authentic craftsmanship over mass production. In his philosophy, lotus tea is not defined solely by aroma, but by a harmonious balance of fragrance, taste, and inner clarity. A well-crafted cup of lotus tea should offer calmness, elegance, and depth—reflecting the spiritual symbolism of the lotus in Vietnamese culture.
Thanks to his exceptional mastery and cultural insight, lotus tea crafted and presented by Hoàng Anh Sướng has been selected to serve heads of state and distinguished international figures, including Bill Gates, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan, and both Vietnam’s General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and China’s President Xi Jinping. In these settings, West Lake Lotus Tea was not simply a beverage, but a refined cultural expression representing Vietnam’s heritage and craftsmanship.
As a tea artisan, Hoàng Anh Sướng is not only a practitioner, but also a guardian of standards and authenticity. His work reflects a quiet dedication to preserving the integrity of West Lake lotus tea, ensuring that its traditional values endure despite the pressures of modernization.
Through his lifelong devotion to the craft, Hoàng Anh Sướng continues to play a vital role in sustaining and elevating Vietnamese tea culture, allowing each cup of West Lake Lotus Tea to convey its original spirit—pure, restrained, and timeless.