Even though her family has nothing to do with tea, but she learnt the importance of consuming tea correctly in daily healthy diet based on the Chinese traditional medicine principles in Yin-Yang and 5 elements from her family when she was very young.
She entered the tea learning in Taiwan since 1985, left her root because of marriage in 1991 helped her to expand her learning from original inward-out views to 360 degree. She started to promote the authentic knowledge about tea and wisdom in Chinese tea culture in Belgium since 1995.
Tea has always been and will continue be her best teacher. In front of Nature and Tea, she remains as an innocent child, a life-time learning student.
Is it possible to prepare tea with Italian espresso maker?
The answer is “YES“. Of course the question will be “which kind of tea? “
I will not use this method with premium quality green/yellow/lightly fermented oolong or golden tippy black tea. In stead, it is pretty handy for those have no suitable tea ware at home to brew fruity tea or herbal infusion.
I started to work in 1975. The disappointment from the first job interview urged me to think how to proceed from the choice of job, i.e. 1. working for big company with higher income? or 2. working with new start up to re-shape my learning in international business management knowledge and to advance my capabilities further without worrying too much about income? Without hesitation, I chose the 2. to work with a new start up. I still remember how it was then till today: at the beginning there were only 4 people in the new start up trading company, my boss, his wife (responsible for the finance), a bookkeeper and I (you can say I did almost everything in the company except baby sitting); eventually we grew the company to >30 people. I worked more than 10 hours a day (6/7) and everyday I went to work with full of sunshine energy and returned home with singing, and I started to attend different training programs to improve myself. My parents knew I was happy without understanding the reason why.
There are plenty benefits of working with a new start up operation, for example I worked more than 10 hours a day (6/7) and I have no time to think too much about how I should feel but simply focus on what and how to grow the operation I involved with my colleagues. To exchange in the reality I have plenty opportunities to deepen my knowledge and capabilities i.e. selecting qualified factories, choose products and even involved with the product design, contact international potentials and continue to follow up until a deal is made, place order to factory and follow the QC procedure, arrange shipment and prepare negotiation documents for banks… when the case is closed, then calculate the P&L for each business transacton.
It seems I was ambitious type with clear idea about my career goal, actually I was and still am not; the early almost-burn out experience really woke me up. The only thought that I have in mind then was and still is today : Do you Best and do the good things well!
Funny thing was that almost all jobs I did were all with new start up operations and I could enjoyed the prosperous growing and positive changes before I moved to Europe in 1991.
Yes, due to various reasons and situations, I have experienced many changes from 1975 to 1991 and nontheless I never have a moment of regret. The most common questions people asked are:
1. How did you do it? Because you have not only changed the job responsibility levels, but have changed jobs in various industrial types which have no link in between.
Answer: For me, I focused only one thing “Customers”. For me not only potentials were customers, I saw and treated my colleagues as my “Customers”.
2. Which job you loved the most?
Answer: I devoted 100% of my devotion, energy and appreciation to each job, for me they were equally beautiful and I appreciate every experience and time with each job. There were like my babies, how can anyone ask me to make a choice?
3. How do you plan your future? What do you see yourself 10 years later from today?
Answer: Stay alive, stay healthily alive with ease and peace in mind. Doing best every day, so can enjoy a good night sleep every night.
In life we will go through many ups and downs, when heading upwards with confidence and strength without arrogance or blinded with over-confidence; in case must moving downwards in order to climb up again, just pay caution on each step without seeing it as failing, certainly not to give up or give in but consider it as a moving forwards process to motivate self to reach the next rising hill.
Today, my hair is grey and have lost my shape for some years. So what! The journey of learning continues, old habbits to update learning never died away and my heart still feels the vibes in life. And, I have my tea
In “Cha Jing” written by Lu Yu, he has mentioned tea morals for the personality cultivation in four Chinese words which worthwhile for repeatedly relearn through reflection:
“精 jing”
The direct English translation is “Refinement”. How to refine the daily life is a matter of choice, the challenge is whether we know what and how to take own responsibilities for the choice we chose.
Making tea is same as making self and vice versa; how to create and sustain the harmony in life subjects to how we manage details in everyday’s life.
“行 xing”
It’s about behaviors and manners; it’s upto whether we are willing to delightfully implement in daily life without feeling been impulsed or obligated, it also urges us to rethink the philosopophy of what and how to put “Knowing & Acting in One” ( by Scholar Wang YangMing in Ming Dynasty). There are plenty great thinking in different languages in the East and the West, but sharing the same essence of reminding us the important values of collectivism, mutual respect and unitity.
The time of our life is limited, but the collective values that we can create and leave behind can be unlimited based on the efforts to pass on accurate knowledge and leave behind with good examples. We can create life values by self discipline, reflections as self examination and enlightenment through non-stop learning attitude.
“俭 jian”
Frugal in English which reminds us the importance in thrifty, pinching, chary and forehanded not only in everyday’s life but also important for society development which through tea we learn to put the principles of self-discipline, no greed, no corruption and no depravity to become a better person.
“德 De”
Moral in English, which is emphasized in Chinese Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism in 5000 years Chinese civilization history, and has great influence to improve the quality of everyday’s life till today; it also links with the essence in harmony of “Respect, Purity, Calm”.
Are these moral principles only limited to the learning and practicing of tea? Or actually it has very good impact to individual daily living and collective society development?
Let’s have a cup of tea !
#chineseteamaster #chineseteainantwerp #fineteainantwerp #teacenterinantwerp #chinesetea_mindfulness #chajing #luyu #teamorals
In the most well known Chinese web media, they mentioned the taste of tea is bitter, however it won’t stay on the bitterness. But, is it correct for Chinese fine quality teas? Perhaps the text written in the ShenNong BenCao Jing about tea – “the basic character of tea is bitter” – has been misunderstood that many people think the taste of tea should be bitter. Let’s face it, who in the world like bitterness in food or drink by knowing it can be bitter?
As matter of fact, the taste of fine quality tea provides you a sensual tasting experience:
Once it enters the mouth, the tip of tongue will be charmed by its gentle smoothness and mild sweetness, it tranvels further to the middle on the tonque and gradually spreading to both sides, glidely simulate the water in mouth at the side end, then turns back to the front to enjoy the mild astringency and sweetness under the tonque. In other word, tea polyphenols, amino acid, tea tannin, tea polysaccarides and natural frangrance substances will play around by turning in the mouth before swallowing. The taste of fine quality teas will not lock our throat because excessive bitterness or strong astringency that the body dislikes.
The first impression of excessive bitterness in taste could prevail several problems:
看到国内媒体提到茶是先苦，但并不会停留在苦上。 但是中国好茶是真的应该先苦吗？ 其实神农本草经中提到”茶性本苦”这一句或许误导许多人以为茶必须苦才好。试问，世上谁明知苦而爱吃苦?
其实好茶一入口它的微甜滑顺立刻会让我们舌动，微涩在舌中间逐渐转化散开，刺激两翼生风，再转回; 换句话讲茶多酚、茶氨酸、茶碱、茶多糖与芬香物质在我们还没吞下去前先在我们的嘴裡会转化，游玩了一圈后再入胃。而不是锁喉让我们喉咙不舒服，身体会排斥的苦涩。
茶一入嘴就会有苦味显现的问题原因可能有三：
copyrighted Mei Lan Hsiao, 萧美兰
LuYu said
Tea, the essence for health cultivation, it helps to unthirst, release stressful energy, ease headache, brighten vision, calming worries, good for joints, cast way tireness; regularly drinking tea for a longer period of time helps to bring joy to mind, improve and refreshing thinking…..Besides those basic health benefits, tea lovers who truly into tea would also appreciate 5 (five) beauties in life, which are:
Mental state in tea actually is not that differ from the daoist mind in poem or other arts. Only those who respect tea and consciously embrace the calm, peaceful energy can bring out the taste of harmony !
陆羽说：“茶，乃养生之精，可以解热渴、驱凝闷、缓脑痛、明眼目、息烦恼、舒关节、荡昏寐，长期饮用可以有利悦志、增益思考……这些对身体健康的益处还在其次，善茶之人必有五美，即
味之美、
器之美、
火之美、
饮之美、
境之美。
茶的境界与诗情道心并无分别，境界高的人才能泡出天人合一的滋味！
不管是在大中国地区，东北/东南亚或是其他产茶的国家都面对劳工费用不断提升，良好的技术工越来越难找的问题。至于“手工制茶好还是机器制茶好”这个问题，我们要深究的问题不仅仅局限于手工或是机器。
在过去三十多年发展出来许多功能很好的制茶机械，而机械的使用也谨是辅助提升制茶工作的效率，过程合理标准化与品质稳定的掌控。但是, 每一个过程依然需要有经验的制茶师傅不时地亲自观察与掌控。而不是鲜叶进成品出的一条工业化的生产作业而已。
比如说， 对经典好茶如武夷岩茶我们必须纠结的是：
对于讲求【岩韵】的武夷岩茶来说，地质环境对香与口感会有的基本影响。 如果漠视茶树生长的地质与茶树基因，我们怎么能奢谈“岩骨花香”呢？
对于任何好茶，每一个环节都重要; 而对岩茶﹑功夫红茶或是传统乌龙来说，初制工艺和炭焙精制工艺更对茶叶经由香与口感展现的品质扮有极重要的角色。
非常感谢广东茶科所黄华林教授今日再一次提醒好茶必要的综合要件：
好茶综合因素
1。 优良的茶树品种
2。 干净的种植环境，早晚温差大
3。 良好的茶园管理，包括茶园有机投入品，绿色防控，保证健康安全
4。 精湛的加工工艺，品质稳定，综合口感好
对任何茶叶来说最重要的重点还是在茶叶是否能透过香与口感呈现的品质体验。而这一步则挑战负责泡茶的侍茶师 （Tea Sommelier）的识茶、知茶、敬人与泡茶的经验与能力了。
萧美兰，12/01/2024 安特卫普，比利时
In life we will experience a lot ups and downs, regardless age, there are 3 major learnings we all have to encounter in life:
https://youtube.com/shorts/vhweeEYwKiA
What is 意境， Chinese PinYin is yì jìng. What does it mean? It is not difficult to understand the meaning by the direct translation of each character:
However, when you put these two Chinese characters together, even Chinese will puzzle and reply “it’s about the holistic description of inspiration or feeling”. When even Chinese have problem to give a very analytical explanation, you can then imaging the difficulty for foreigners who would like to learn the meaning of these two words without straight forwards and clear explanation?
Chinese is a inspirational graphic language, there are lot of expressions imply inspirational thinking or imagination which require repeatedly non-stop reflections from daily living.
Autumn is a beautiful, romantic yet unpredictable season in a year because in Autumn we will experience a ‘long-planned’ energy mobilization and we never know what will happen later in a day. However, we will live through the energy change that drivves the dispersal of wind and clouds, the day is getting shorter, the discoloration of plants and trees while fruitfulness in the fields. The migratory birds to the warm south and fly high, great changes happen in the Nature that sweeps across the land with the change of energy in the heaven and the earth to cold.
The change of Yin – energy in heaven, earth and environment would stimulate the retaliated Yang – energy to rise in our body. People with low immunity resistance or sensitive to the change of energy might experience lots of discomfort, i.e. lungs infection, caughing, dehydration, headache in this season.
How to enhance the immunity system and tosolve the cause of headache , frankly speaking we need to hand these medical matters to more professional medical experts for their facts-based dignosis and suggestions. However,we do can consider to practice some easy and cost-free steps in actions to improve our daily health.
copyrighted Mei Lan Hsiao, Belgium Chinese Tea Culture Association, info@chinesetea.be Tel: +32494506899
To my husband and children, same as many friends know me for being “stubborness with dignity” but not necessary know how my upbringing has influenced who I am and how I am.
I was the only child in the family for the first six years in my life. At that time, even though as a military family in the 60’s, we had a pretty earthy and rough life and I could only see my Dad 2 max. 3 times a year. But I really had a very fine memories from the wild childhood and love from my parents. I stayed with the best friend of my parents for nearly 8 months before I saw my younger brother for the first time. Immediately I loved the idea to take care of him by being a ‘elder sister’. When Nian Yong was young, he often got sick; so it’s normal that he got all the attention and care from my parents and accepted Mom has no extra energy for me.
Dad used to lead soldiers, so it’s ‘normal’ that I have to take the responsibility based on joint and several ‘liability’ for my brother; I learned to accept it without argument.
One night I had a very strang dream when I was 9-10 years old, when I woke up I started to question whether I was adopted, but I did not dare to ask but kept quiet. The real question rose when I had my first blood test at the age of 12, because I am the only one in the family with A blood type while Dad and brother are O and Mom is B. But again, I dared not to ask, simply put this question in the drawer in heart. That year we went to Taichung for uncle Chen’s wedding, I was so exciting because it was the first time I wore stockings with a beautiful dress and new shoes. In the middle of wedding feest, Mom and Dad decided to leave earlier after meeting a full-sized woman with a little boy, who were them? I dared not ask until when I was 16 years old that little boy sent me a letter to my school, then I realized they were my biological family. After the visit to my bio-sister in the nearby university, when I saw how she and I were so alike as twin, instantly I knew there’s no question about the adoption. Immediately I made the decision not to ask the ‘why’ question to either side, simply quietly accepted the reality submissively because I did not want to make both side parents felt scare of losing me or felt quilty for giving me away for adoption. Without knowing, underconsciousely since then I start to avoid and not to talk about my feeling deep inside on how I dream for love but do not dare to ask for love from others. Since made the decision of accepting not to ask for love from others, I then realized the importance in life is to love self by holding integrity and enhancing self disciplines strongly. Time passed, the level of stubborness deepened.
(…..to continue……)
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