The representation of Linkou’s tea culture

Visits and Interviews

► Reflections on visits

Chang, Li-Hsin

Heading out from our school, in a car ride that was no more than 10 minutes, we arrived at one of the few survived tea gardens in Linkou—Sheng-Jin tea manufacturing factory. Upon stepping out the bus, the tea farmer invited us to sit with great enthusiasm. In the factory, the equipment for manufacturing tea is a breath of fresh air. There were sieves, tossing machine, blanching machine, rolling machine, and drying machine, which made us realize that the production of a tiny tea leave has to been through such complicated manufacturing process. After that, we wore tea-picking equipment to experience picking tea in the tea garden. The farmer taught us to differentiate which is the tea leaves available for picking (that with one tip and two leaves), and also told us how to avoid the hornets around the tea garden, letting us experience the life of a tea farmer for half a day.

Through this visit, I got to know many tea breeds in Taiwan, such as TTES No.12 (Jhinhsuan), TTES No.13(Cuiyu), TTES No.18(ruby). Also, I learned the three elements for tea brewing, including the amount of tea leaves, water temperature and time. Mr. Chen said: “If the portion of tea leaves and water isn’t well controlled, even priceless tea would become worthless.” In addition, I finally learned how to identify the types of tea, broadened my horizons and acted to recommend tea culture of Linkou to more people to know. The local research this time let me my bask in my gain.

Yang, zhi-han

The major purpose of the field visit to Linkou tea garden is to investigate some historical story about the history of Linkou’s tea and knowing knowledge regarding tea. The most impressive event was tasting tea. That was because when entering the tea factory, we saw a line of china tea sets. The instructor introduced to us the fuction of various kind of tea set. First, the instructor poured hot water into an Urn-shape tea cup, putting 1/3 of tea leaves in it, setting it aside after putting the lid on. After the instructor started to explain the story of how a cup of tea starts from the tea garden and end up into a cup of fresh and sweet tea. The lecture about manufacturing tea made me understand how difficult it is to gain a cup of tea and the sweat and efforts tea farmers paid behind that. I hope besides our knowledge of “Linkou is the birthland of tea”, there would be more people to pass down this history.

Chang, Yun-Ann

Recalling the first time we picked tea, we wore bamboo hats, tea baskets, headkerchiefs, did the preparation with joy. Although we couldn’t differentiate at the beginning, picking a lot of useless old leaves, we gradually became more and more familiar with the hang of it. It is required to pick one tip with two leaves without bitten by bugs and with smooth leaves. When finished, we went to the restaurant to write down our tea-picking process, and realizing that although every piece of tea leaves conforms to the tea manufacturing standard, because we picked it by hand, the production amount is low and the cost of time is high. It is evident that to be a tea farmer takes enthusiasm and perseverance to create one’s own brand in this competitive market.

Chang, Chun-Shan

In the past, when it comes to Linkou, general outlanders think of the frequently rainy, foggy mountain that is cold and humid in winter. However, for the older generation, Linkou is the birthland of tea. It is a pity that the tea industry in Linkou industry has declined and the production amount dropped down dramatically, with only three tea gardens survived. One of the tea gardens is Sheng-Jin tea manufacturing factory. We listed to Mr. Chen talking about the story of Sheng-Jin old tea factory, feeling that he was striving to make more people to understand that “ Linkou is the homeland of tea”. His enthusiasm about tea touched us deeply, as Linkou’s local students, we especially hope to preserve this industry, keeping this history from disappearing.

Fu, Jia-Hsuan

We took the school bus to Sheng-Jin tea manufacturing facory. Mr. Chen there treated us with enthusiasm, instructing the precautions of picking tea, basic knowledge and tea-picking equipment. Before experiencing tea picking, Mr. Chen told us “It is required to know the key of making tea to become a master of tasting tea! From experiencing tea picking to tea rolling, open your five sense and feel every stage of tea, this would make your tea taste greater!”

When picking tea, it is required to inspect with the standard of one tip and two leaves: one tip is the new sprout grew from the tea tree, two leaves stand for two tender leaves under the tip. The “one tip two leaves” has to be selected and harvested by hand. Tea leaves with a rough touch are older and taste relatively bitter; tea leaves with a smooth touch is relatively tender, so they taste better. In the process of turning fresh tea leaves into tea leaves, it is required to been through strict control and various steps to brew a good cup of tea.

Lin, yo-chen

Picking tea depends on the season and the condition of tea trees’ growth. We picked TTES No.12 majorly this time. One tip means the new sprout that just emerged, two leaves imply to the two tender leaves under the tip. This picking method needs to be operated by hand, costing more labor force and energy, but the results would be the best, much better than that of picking by machine. Sheng-Jin tea factory keep the pace with the time, keeps learning new technology and developing tea products. They let us know the value of Linkou’s tea from “picking” tea, experiencing “tea-making” and learning to “taste” tea, cultivating the love for tea of the young generation.

Su, Xin-Yen

I feel satisfied after this interview, for I not only harvested abundant knowledge but also learned tea picking skills. I learned that pocking tea actually needs to use two fingers to break the stem lightly, allowing the fresh tea leaves remain unscathed when entering the bamboo baskets. The fresh tea leaves being picked has to be that with two leaves and one tip, or three leaves with one tip. Also, it has to be green and smooth tender leaves, instead of rough old leaves with deep green color. This shows that picking tea is a profession with a lot to learn before becoming able to master it. In addition to tea picking, I also learned some breeds of tea. Such as No.12 “Oriental Beauty”, Jhinhsuan which is also known as White-tip Oolong tea, No.13 Cuiyu and No.18 Ruby, etc. There is also some unique farming equipment, for example, bamboo tea baskets, bamboo hats, headkerchiefs and over-sleeves. This transformed me from a tea drinker to a tea lover. It looks like it is not enough to love drinking tea, I also have to learn about that the development of tea in every area stands for the historical stories behind the community.

Liu, In-Chi

Before picking tea, the business owner of Sheng-Jin tea manufacturing factory told us that in order to promote the safety of agriculture and food, the teas garden has been without pesticide for 4-5 years. Therefore, even if there are marks bitten by bugs, I still think the tea is fresh and aromatic. After brewing, the tea won’t lose that sold in general beverage shops, it’s even more nourishing and the after taste is sweeter. This made me curious, so I asked about the quality of tea. Mr. Chen told us, if a pot of good tea has been through quality control and pesticide inspection, the aroma it releases and the sweet aftertaste it has will make people hard to forget for a long time. Hence, emphasizing important work such as the safety management of the tea garden, the management of production process, pesticide examination with 3 grades and 5-star tea manufacturing factory, are the quality guarantee that Likou’s tea farmers make for the local industry.

Jason Hsieh

The fact that there is a tea garden that’s large and green not far away from the school makes me surprised that the connection between Linkou and tea is so close. Upon reaching the farm, the owner of the tea garden Mr. Chen offered each of us a bottle of water and a tea bag, asking us to brew cold-brew tea ourselves. After arriving the tea garden, Mr. Chen taught us how to pick tea with one tip two leaves. The tea leaves couldn’t be too old, otherwise it would taste bitter.

After several visits, classmates all gained a deeper understanding regarding tea. Since the topic this time is to promote tea in Linkou, so we started to plan the promotion campaign in the club after the visit. From the beginning when there was discordance between everyone’s opinion, to having consensus on promotion, everyone spent a lot of energy and effort. It paid off and attracted many people to listen to our introduction, enabling the story of Linkou’s tea to pass down continuously.

Chang, Rui-An

With so many tall buildings in Linkou nowadays, it is difficult to imagine that in the past, the Linkou tableland was covered with green tea garden. In the past, tea industry has been an important farm produce in the Japanese-ruled period. As the first talents cultivating institution in Linkou, the learning institute of tea was eastabilsed in the Japanese ruled period, making a significant impact on the development of Linkou’s industry. Altough the learning institution of tea has moved away and the industry is disappearing, but local enterprises such as Sheng-Jin tea manufacturing factory still strives to spread the tea culture in Linkou, letting younger generations to know this history and cultivating interest in tea. We also brought this sprit to hold events back at school, which is widely responded by students. Many started to feel the fresh aroma and sweet, nourishing taste of Long-Shou tea genuinely. Hope that Linkou tea can pass down continuously.

(Sharing the reflections of the visit)

(Taking a group photo in the tea garden)

(Tea culture promotion campaign on campus)

(Promotion events around classes)

Reference

Visits and Interviews