Rediscover Tea - A Personal Story
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Food Beverage -> subcategory Other.
Rediscovering Tea: A Personal Journey
Introduction
Tea connects me to home every day with its refreshing and reflective aroma and taste, even though I'm continents away from my roots.
My Childhood on a Tea Farm
I grew up on a tea farm about 20 miles from Taimu Mountain in eastern Fujian, a major tea-growing region in China. Fujian is renowned for its Oolong tea, like the famous Iron Goddess (Tie Kuan Yin), and Taimu Mountain is the birthplace of exotic White tea.
In my early childhood, I lived there with my parents, three brothers, a sister, and other families. The farm stretched across two mountains and was largely state-owned, employing young men and women during the Cultural Revolution. Graduates were sent to work on farms to learn from physical labor since higher education opportunities were limited. We lived like a big family, sharing an apartment complex and a large dining hall.
Working on the Farm
As a child, I joined my mother and other women in plucking tea leaves, while my father, the accountant, weighed them at the workshop. Women’s pay was based on the weight of leaves they plucked. The processing, mostly for green teas, began at night. It involved drying the leaves by firing and frying, continuing through the night. During midnight breaks, we enjoyed snacks such as congee or noodles. We kids stayed up for these treats, even if we didn’t contribute to the work. Sometimes, we slept in the workshop, using large linen bags as sleeping bags. I remember one night when my cousin tied my brother’s bag while he was asleep, and he couldn’t get out in time to avoid an accident.
After processing, the broken leaves needed to be separated by hand. I helped my mother and other women with this meticulous task, which required careful hand-eye coordination. The more pieces you separated, the more you earned. The finished product was inspected to ensure it was free of broken pieces.
Our farm didn't package tea for stores; it was transported to a refinery in town. Trips to the town meant haircuts, snacks, and buying goods from big cities like Shanghai.
Moving Away
When I was eight, I moved 30 miles away to live with my grandparents and attend school, visiting the farm only during summer breaks. In China, tea is considered one of life's necessities. It’s customary to greet guests with hot tea and homemade snacks. During my childhood, we had no sodas or ice creams?"just cherished tea and the warm hospitality of families we visited. These memories are vivid and dearly missed in my modern, gadget-filled life far from home.
Coming to America
I arrived in the U.S. in late 1990 as a graduate student, pursuing prosperity like millions of others. I moved between cities and jobs, raising two kids while trying to make ends meet. In the fast-paced lifestyle, soda replaced tea due to its convenience, and for 15 years, I drifted from tea.
Reconnecting with Tea
Two years ago, I revisited my hometown and returned with some teas. Now, reunited, I enjoy and learn more about tea. It brings me home daily with its soothing aroma and taste, despite the oceans and continents that separate me from my roots.
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