It is said that Dongfang Meiren was once the drink of choice for the royal family, and is now one of the most popular teas in Taiwan. The origin of fruity oolong tea can be traced back to the Hakka hometown of Beipu, Hsinchu County.
There was a slight splashing sound as Jinlan poured a stream of boiling water over the dried tea leaves in the clay pot in front of her. After a few seconds, she transfers the honey-colored liquid to glass jars to cool. A cloud of steam evaporates from the soaked leaves, giving off a fruity aroma, sweet and slightly tart. This is the signature scent of Oriental Beauty Tea, one of Taiwan’s most famous teas, also known as “Oriental Beauty”.
“It’s easy to drink,” Lan said. “You don’t feel like you’re drinking tea. It’s sweet—very light, not bitter. It’s golden in color, and when you take your first sip, you wonder: Is this really tea?” Lan runs Liujiao The tea house is located in the underground commercial street of Longshan Temple in Wanhua District, Taipei. There, Taiwanese Canadians cater to foreigners who want to gain insight into Taiwanese tea culture.
Oriental Beauty Tea is Lan’s first recommendation to those who are just starting to drink tea. Originating from the Northwest Plains of Taiwan, this unique oolong tea variety was first developed by Hakka tea farmers in Beipu and Emei Townships more than a century ago. Or, as Lang puts it, “more like being discovered.” Making Dongfang Meiren requires one key ingredient: the bite of the green leafhopper or tea midge, a small insect that can be found in tea gardens across Taiwan. Due to the unique climate and altitude, green leafhoppers are especially prevalent in the low mountain areas of Hsinchu and Miaoli. When the insect chews the budded tea leaves, its saliva imparts a fruity flavor to the tea.
“The more you bite into the tea, the better it tastes,” Lan said. The tea’s nickname is Baihao Oolong, or “white hair” oolong, derived from the white, fuzzy lines on the edges of the dried leaves that indicate acidic saliva that has entered the tea. The more “white hairs” a group of oriental beauties have, the higher their quality.
The first oriental beauties are said to have been produced by accident a year after the bug was particularly prolific. Instead of throwing away the pest-damaged leaves, some thrifty farmers decided to process them, creating a tea that was popular with traders at the annual Taipei Tea Show. According to legend, by the end of the 19th century, it had become the favorite tea of Queen Victoria of England. Since then, farmers in rural areas of Hsinchu and Miaoli have perfected the art of making highly oxidized, unroasted varieties of oolong tea. Today, there is hardly a tea shop in the region that doesn’t offer the revered oriental beauties.
Although places like Beipu and Emei are the birthplaces of the much-cherished tea, they lack the tea garden tourism of Alishan or Maokongshan. That’s not without reason, Lan said. In order for the insects to thrive, plantations need to be as natural as possible. Unlike the neat and orderly rows of many other tea gardens, Dongfang Meiren’s tea bushes and tea bushes grow unrestricted for most of the year, and the picking is done by hand. While not very aesthetically pleasing, this guarantees an ideal breeding ground for green leafhoppers.
Lan said the tiny insect, which is a fraction of the size of the tip of a human fingernail, has been encountered several times. “When you go to the plantations, you can feel them jumping around. The more natural and balanced the ecosystem, the more springtails in the tea plantations. That’s what we need.”
regional treasure
After an initial tasting at Lan’s Tea Shop, it’s time to delve deeper into the origins of Oriental Beauty Tea. What place is more worth visiting than Beipu Township, Hsinchu County, the center of oriental beauties? Beipu is a charming rural town perched on a plateau surrounded by gentle green hills and valleys. It’s ideal for exploring by car or bike, with plenty of walking and hiking trails. Beipu is only half an hour’s drive from Hsinchu city center and a 15-minute taxi ride from the nearest Zhudong train station, Beipu’s rural charm and well-preserved historic center attract tourists.
Still, the town retains an authentic feel, with streets lined with stalls selling hot sauces and hand-pickled vegetables. They are a staple of the unpretentious Hakka cuisine served on every corner.Typical Hakka dishes include sweets Mochia plate of thick white noodles called bantiao (粄条), and leicha (Lei Cha), a sweet soup made from ground nuts. Any restaurant in Beipu can offer at least one of these specialties.
In addition, according to Gu Haoyu, a Beipu local, the town also has “the closest historical relics in all of Taiwan.” On a 10-minute walk, visitors can pass the ornate Citian Temple, the western-style historical mansion Jiang Ashin, and the gates of Jin Guangfu Mansion, a courtyard-style compound built in 1835. Not to mention the countless heritage buildings. A shop selling Oriental beauty tea and handmade tea sets.
“Come to Beipu, drink a glass of Oriental Beauty, eat a bowl of leichaand admire the historic buildings,” said Gu, who runs Shuijing Teahouse with his parents. Located in the north corridor of the historic Jinguangfu courtyard, the unique teahouse specializes in different versions of its signature sweet soup leichaand many variants of local teas. The white walls and turquoise-colored wooden door frames of the Shuijing Tea House are remnants of the Japanese colonial era. The building itself was built in traditional Chinese style by a wealthy merchant.
Today, Cotai Mansion has been designated as a National Historic Monument and is maintained by six tenants, the Gu family being one of them. The family converted a room next to the teahouse into a local history museum. Before the outbreak, tourists could buy a three-in-one ticket to visit multiple exhibitions in the courtyard house and the nearby Jiang’a Xin Mansion. Although all monuments are currently open to visits by appointment only, Gu Haoyu hopes to open the exhibition to the public again soon.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Netflix miniseries gold leaf (Tea Gold) Let you have a glimpse of the mysterious veil of historical monuments in Beipu. Produced by PTV and the Hakka Affairs Committee, this Hakka-language period drama depicts the tea trade in Taiwan in the 1950s, set in the historic mansions of Beipu. The traditional architecture of Beipu gives people a glimpse of the style of old Taiwan. Red brick courtyard-style houses are scattered all over the streets. But maintaining that landscape is an ongoing challenge, Gu said.
“If something breaks in an old house, it’s our responsibility to fix it,” he said. “But now the craftsmen who know how to repair it are old, and the young people don’t know how to repair a brick-and-timber house.”
unrivaled taste
In addition to house restoration, another skill unique to the Beipu region has become more coveted than ever: the cultivation of oriental beauties. Few tea growers have achieved the fame of Gu Chengqian. Over a piping hot cup of Winter Harvest Special No. 1, the weather-beaten farmer speaks of his love for oriental beauties. He is the owner of Baoji Tea Shop, a famous Beipu tea shop, where all the tea leaves are grown and produced by hand. A plaque at the entrance reads “Established 1927”. Mr. Gu is the fourth-generation owner of Baoji Tea Shop, and his two grown sons are already honing their tea-making skills. According to the master, it takes 15 years of experience to brew a truly delicious tea. The key, he says, is understanding every detail that could affect the three-day oxidation process.
“You need to be able to judge leaves by looking and touching,” Gu said. “Weather matters too. North winds dry out the leaves very quickly. Wet weather and south winds are ideal. Most filmmakers don’t pay attention to this sort of thing.” His tea is so unmatched that Mr. Gu no longer Take part in the prestigious annual Oriental Beauty Contest hosted by the Beipu Township and Emei Township Farm Associations. “If we were still competing, our style would be influenced by the judges’ preferences,” he said. “We have our own flavor.”
A neighbor on a motorcycle parked near the store. The two exchanged a few words in the Hakka dialect spoken by everyone in town, and the man left with his monthly supply of tea. Drinking Oriental Beauty Tea is an indispensable part of life in Beipu. Gu keeps a simple process when making tea. A seasoned farmer on the outside, but a true tea artisan at heart, he pours 195°F (90°C) hot water directly into rustic white cups. After steeping the tea for 10 seconds, he pours it through the small hole in the lid into the second cup in front of him, and the tea is ready.
Taipei Tea Shanglan also recommends keeping things simple and not pursuing perfection when brewing tea. For special occasions, adding a drop of cognac to a glass of Oriental Beauty is sure to impress connoisseurs and newcomers alike, says Lan. But drinking Dongfang Meiren requires a bit of indulgence, as it is more complicated to make and more expensive. Landian’s Oriental Beauty ranges from NT$1,500 to NT$6,000 for 100 grams, while Baoji Tea Shop offers 75 grams or 150 grams in cans ranging from NT$450 to NT$18,000.
Despite the connection between tea and the region, Gu Chengqian pointed out that the Oriental Beauty may not have originated in Beipu. “Everywhere here says they invented the Oriental Beauty,” he said. “Nobody knows where it really came from. In fact, it’s the Emperor’s tea.”
Either way, tea growing has transformed formerly impoverished rural communities into thriving agricultural areas. When the Hakka people first arrived in the Hsinchu area 200 years ago, their lives were full of hardships. Gu explained that after the Han settlers occupied the coastal areas, what was left was barren mountainous land, suitable only for tea plantations. However, after the Japanese colony designated Taiwan as the origin of oolong, the tea trade flourished and the price gradually increased.
Oriental beauties remain a valuable commodity due to the challenging manufacturing process. For most oolong teas, picking is done with a knife or machine. But in order to ensure the mild aroma of Oriental Beauty Tea, only the tip of each branch is picked. Requires tedious hand-picking and yields are far lower than most traditional teas. Gu said it was getting harder to find workers willing to work long hours for a month in the hot weather. Young people prefer to sit in the air-conditioned offices of nearby TSMC, he said with a smile. Then, he frowned.
“When I was young, from here to Emei Town, all you could see were tea gardens,” he said. “But now, no one grows tea anymore. It’s too hard work.” But for persistent producers like the Gu family, it means their prized product will only increase in value.
