I opened Kong Mountain Tea in 2018 to share my love for handmade tea ware, high quality Chinese tea, and the peaceful beauty of the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. I am from Anfu County, Jiang Xi Province, in China, just down the road from Jingdezhen, the capital city of porcelain, and home to the skilled artists who design and handcraft some of the most beautiful tea ware in the world. I visit the ceramic artists in Jingdezhen on every visit home, and return to KMT with teaware that I’ve handpicked as my favorites from their studios. I touch and feel and love every piece that I offer, and I steep and taste and regularly drink the tea that I carry.

“Kong Mountain 空山” in Chinese means a tranquil and peaceful mountain. My first impactful tea experience took place on a tranquil and peaceful mountain not far from my hometown. I was hiking in the afternoon and encountered a tea farmer tending his highland tea plantation. He welcomed me to join him for a cup of his green tea. That exquisite cup of tea… sipped, savored, and shared on that tranquil mountainside in the highlands, began a love affair with tea. And I’ve been searching high and low for magical tea moments like that ever since. The word “Kong” by itself means “empty” in Chinese. In a fast-paced world full of distractions, having a free and clear moment can soothe and rejuvenate our spirit. My wish is that Kong Mountain Tea can help bring soothing moments with tea to fellow tea drinkers all over the world.