Taiwanese tea culture
Encyclopedia
Taiwanese tea culture, include tea arts, tea ceremony, and a very social way of enjoying tea. While the most common teas are oolongs especially Taiwanese oolongs such as Iron Goddess and Alpine Oolong; Puers, black teas and green teas are also popular. Many of the classical arts can be seen in the tea culture, examples: calligraphy, flower arts, incense arts, and such. In Taiwan
most people drink tea
, and tea is not only a drink, but also a part of the culture. The tea culture of Taiwan can be traced back to the root from Chinese tea culture
. Many people visit one of the numerous traditional teahouses or "tea-arts" shops, located all over Taiwan.
at home. Many people collect teapots as a hobby. Most families in Taiwan have Yixing clay
teapots at home. Traditionally, "raising the teapot" at home is a way of life in Taiwan. Teapots are used to brew teas intensively so that the surface of the teapot becomes "bright". This process is called "raising the teapot", which enhances the beauty of the clay teapot. Tea stores are virtually everywhere in Taiwan. In big cities like Taipei
one can easily find tea for sale on nearly every city block as well as historic tea houses such as the Wistaria Tea House
.
, Nantou County, Taiwan) (凍頂鄉，南投，台灣). This is said to be the origin of Dongding Oolong Dong Ding tea
from Taiwan. In 1867, English tea trader Jon Dodd started a tea company in Wanhua, Taipei Taipei city (萬華，台北市), and started to sell Taiwanese oolong tea to the world under the name "Formosa Oolong", and the Pouchong oolong was considered to be more flowery than Baihao Oolong, Pouchong was exported under the name "Formosa Pouching". In fact, Dongding Oolong (凍頂烏龍茶), White Tip Oolong (白毫烏龍茶) and Pouchong Oolong (包種烏龍茶), Alpine or High Mountain Oolong, are all categorized as Oolong tea, which contributes a large part of Taiwan tea industry. As Taiwan is lucky to have great environment for tea growing, and with the developing of tea technology, Taiwan has produced many top quality teas, all can be called as "Formosa Tea". The best known ones including "Formosa Dongding oolong", "Formosa Alishan Oolong", "Formosa Wenshan Pouchong", "Formosa Oriental Beauty", "Formosa Shanlinxi Oolong", "Formosa Jade Oolong" and more.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
most people drink tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, and tea is not only a drink, but also a part of the culture. The tea culture of Taiwan can be traced back to the root from Chinese tea culture
Chinese tea culture
Chinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed in China. The terms chayi "Art of Tea 茶藝" and "Tea Ceremony" have been used, but the term "Tea Culture茶文化" includes more than just the ceremony...
. Many people visit one of the numerous traditional teahouses or "tea-arts" shops, located all over Taiwan.
History
While most of Taiwanese are from Chinese immigrants around 400 years ago, the island's tea arts have been influenced by Japanese culture as well as western culture. Gongfu tea ceremony informally referred to as laoren cha, or "old man tea", originated in China and has flourished in Taiwan.Teaware
The typical Taiwanese family owns at least one set of teawareTeaware
Teaware encompasses a broad international spectrum of equipment used in the brewing and consumption of tea. Many components make up that spectrum, and vary greatly based upon the type of tea being prepared, and the cultural setting in which it is bring prepared...
at home. Many people collect teapots as a hobby. Most families in Taiwan have Yixing clay
Yixing clay
Yixing clay is a type of clay from the region near the city of Yixing in Jiangsu province, China. Its use dates back to the Song Dynasty when purple clay was first mined around Lake Taihu in China. From the 17th century on, the ware was commonly exported to Europe. The finished stoneware, which...
teapots at home. Traditionally, "raising the teapot" at home is a way of life in Taiwan. Teapots are used to brew teas intensively so that the surface of the teapot becomes "bright". This process is called "raising the teapot", which enhances the beauty of the clay teapot. Tea stores are virtually everywhere in Taiwan. In big cities like Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
one can easily find tea for sale on nearly every city block as well as historic tea houses such as the Wistaria Tea House
Wistaria Tea House
Wistaria Tea House , the Wisteria House, or Wistaria House is a well-known and historically important teahouse located in the Daan District, of Taipei, Taiwan. The establishment is situated in a Japanese-style wooden house built in the 1920s on Xinsheng South Road...
.
Teaware items
- brewing vessle,teapot, or a cover bowl gaiwanGaiwanA gaiwan is a Chinese lidded bowl used for the infusion and consumption of tea and was invented during the Ming Dynasty. It consists of a bowl, a lid, and a saucer.-History:...
- tea pitcher, decanting vessel, used to ensure the consistency of the flavor of the tea
- hot water kettle, e.g. an electric kettle etc.
- brewing tray, or a deep, flat bottom porcelain plate to hold spills
- tea towel, or tea cloth usually dark color
- tea scoop, or a wooden tea spoon to measure the amount of tea leaves required
- teacups, matching size
- timer
- tea holder, tealeaf holder for weighing and dispensing
- tea basin, bowl as the reciptical for used tealeaves and refuse water
- optional: scale
- optional: scent cup used to appreciate the tea's aroma
Tea ceremonies
- Wu-Wo Tea CeremonyWu-Wo tea ceremonyWu-Wo Tea Ceremony 無我茶會, also known as Wu-Wo Tea Convention and Wuwo Tea Party. It is a style of Chinese tea ceremony that encourages participants to forget about knowledge, wealth, and appearance to establish a group equality without prejudice. This concept of Wu-Wo is shown in the Wu-Wo Tea...
- Tea Appreciation DayTea Appreciation DayTea Appreciation Day is held one day during the first weekend of May every year from 2005. People and organizations can gather together to make and serve tea with the attending individuals and passing strangers alike...
- Perennial Tea CeremonyPerennial tea ceremonyPerennial tea ceremony / Four Seson Tea Ceremony is a Chinese tea ceremony, created by Lin Easu , of the Ten Ren Teaism Foundation. The first two characters of the Chinese term literally mean four steps or sequences that are linked together, the latter two simply meaning "tea ceremony". With...
- Chinese tea cultureChinese tea cultureChinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed in China. The terms chayi "Art of Tea 茶藝" and "Tea Ceremony" have been used, but the term "Tea Culture茶文化" includes more than just the ceremony...
- Gongfu tea ceremonyGongfu tea ceremonyThe gongfu tea ceremony or kungfu tea ceremony , is a commercialized show basing on the tea preparation approach originated probably in Fujian or Guangdong. The original term "Gongfu Cha " literally means "making tea with efforts". Sometimes '功' instead of '工' is used thus 功夫茶...
- Gongfu tea ceremony
Oolong teas
According to Lien Hen (連橫; Taiwanese historian :zh:%E9%80%A3%E6%A9%AB (%E4%BA%BA%E5%90%8D)), in the late 18 century, Ke Chao (柯朝) brought some tea tree from Fuchien, China Fuchien into Taiwan and planted in Jie Yu Keng (櫛魚坑), currently known as Ruifang District, New Taipei City. However, transaction records indicated that tea business in Muzha (木柵, Taipei 台北市) area started as early as late 18th century. Thus we can believe that tea has been merchandised in Taiwan for more than 2 centuries. In 1855, Lin Feng Chi (林鳳池) brought the Cing Shin Oolong (青心烏龍) plants from Wuyi Mountain (Fujien Province, China) (武夷山，福建，中國) into Taiwan and planted in Dongding Village (LuguLugu, Nantou
-Traffic:*County Road 139：Lugu － Shuili*County Road 151：Jhushan － Sun Link Sea Highway-External links:*...
, Nantou County, Taiwan) (凍頂鄉，南投，台灣). This is said to be the origin of Dongding Oolong Dong Ding tea
Dong Ding tea
Dong Ding is an Oolong tea from Taiwan. The original leaves were taken from a much older tea plant in China's Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province. The name "Dong Ding" means "Frozen Summit", which is the name of the mountain on which the original tea plants taken from the Wuyi Mountains were planted...
from Taiwan. In 1867, English tea trader Jon Dodd started a tea company in Wanhua, Taipei Taipei city (萬華，台北市), and started to sell Taiwanese oolong tea to the world under the name "Formosa Oolong", and the Pouchong oolong was considered to be more flowery than Baihao Oolong, Pouchong was exported under the name "Formosa Pouching". In fact, Dongding Oolong (凍頂烏龍茶), White Tip Oolong (白毫烏龍茶) and Pouchong Oolong (包種烏龍茶), Alpine or High Mountain Oolong, are all categorized as Oolong tea, which contributes a large part of Taiwan tea industry. As Taiwan is lucky to have great environment for tea growing, and with the developing of tea technology, Taiwan has produced many top quality teas, all can be called as "Formosa Tea". The best known ones including "Formosa Dongding oolong", "Formosa Alishan Oolong", "Formosa Wenshan Pouchong", "Formosa Oriental Beauty", "Formosa Shanlinxi Oolong", "Formosa Jade Oolong" and more.
See also
- Chinese tea cultureChinese tea cultureChinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed in China. The terms chayi "Art of Tea 茶藝" and "Tea Ceremony" have been used, but the term "Tea Culture茶文化" includes more than just the ceremony...
- Hong Kong tea cultureHong Kong tea cultureThe tea-drinking habits of Hong Kong residents derive from Chinese tea culture. After more than 150 years of British rule, however, they have changed somewhat to become unique in the world...
- Pearl milk tea
- Chinese tea cultureChinese tea cultureChinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed in China. The terms chayi "Art of Tea 茶藝" and "Tea Ceremony" have been used, but the term "Tea Culture茶文化" includes more than just the ceremony...
- British tea cultureBritish tea cultureSince the 18th century the British have been the largest per capita tea consumers in the world, with each person consuming on average 2.5 kg per year. The popularity of tea occasioned the furtive export of slips to tea plants from China to British India and its commercial culture there,...
- Taiwan teas
External links
- The Art of Tea
- Taiwan creates a Napa Valley of teas mercurynews.com