Belgium Chinese Tea Centre

Only Pure & Authentic Quality Tea

Author: Mei Lan Hsiao Page 2 of 31

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.

The Circle of Life

By

On 21/09/2022

In Zen & Tea

Here are some basic traditional interpretations for the change of seasons in the Nature which is same as change in life according to the Daoism philosophy:

Spring : before welcoming the warm breeze, we still need to pay attention to the coldest time of the year; the first thunder awakens the Yin energy in the Nature, all lives start to whistle with cheerful melody

Summer: definitely is the time to enjoy the heart bumping meanwhile should  remain calm, to avoid wild fire burning

Autumn: the wind changes from warm to cold, the nature can be uneased, some extreme can still happen, it’s time we need to learn what and how to adapt to the change; certainly on how the heating Yang energy could rise when encountering the cold Yin energy. When facing the change of energy, it’s time to prepare, to repair and to restore before winter comes

Winter: Even though the sky is dark but still there is light behind darkness, so it’s not completely hopeless; even if little grass are forced to bend down by snow, but they will rise their heads higher in the coming spring. Winter is the time to rest with ease and prepare self for the next awakening of life circle.

The change of four seasons means the change in life, two constract energies rotate but are not disappearing when we are able to keep the warmth and hopeful energy from within.

mei lan hsiao
There is time to awaken, time to joy, time to adapt and time to rest; needless for surprise or stress out. The taller and stronger you want to become, then grow your roots deeeper and enhance the strength from within.

What can we learn from tea?

By

On 13/08/2022

In ChaDao

What can we learn from tea?

Tea leaf has limit in size, tea cup has limit in capacity

the learning through tea in life is unlimited

Mei Lan hsiao

What we can learn are more than various types of tea drinking or performing of various tea arts or tea ceremonies.

Tea leaf.has limit in size, tea cup has limit in capacity per cup, but the learning through tea in life is unlimited.

When we are willing to open our minds and taking actions to implement basic morals in life through tea, it’s not difficult to enhance the learning by doing to improve the living quality:

  • learn to respect to the Nature, community and the planet
  • learn to respect and accept the own responsibilities with clear consciousness
  • learn the values of humanity with respect to those hard working nameless people
  • learn what and how to practice of equality without preconceived judgement
  • learn to appreciate from heart to self, learn to show earnest respect to others and to the world
  • learn when and how to lay down egoism, enjoy and appreciate the simplicity and tranquility from the moment
  • learn to put priority right by recognizing own responsibilities to the Nature, people, cultures and the world.

Of course there are more than the list, perhaps you can add on some based on your learning journey with tea. Let the carpet of tea full of kindness, love, respect and harmony.

#lifetimelearning #love #respect #people #kindness #learning #culture #quality #equality #ecobalance #earnest #tranquality #purification

©Mei Lan Hsiao, Belgium Chinese Tea Culture Association, Antwerp, Belgium 13/8/2022

Tea Tree & Environment Determine Tea Quality

By

On 31/07/2022

In Oolong

Among 6+1 tea types, oolong tea only has about 1000 years of history, it is not same as fine quality green/white/yellow or golden tippy black tea that mainly from small sized tea leaf and it does not rushing out for tea picking in the early spring. Oolong tea does have specific requirements for quality from fully opened mid-sized tea leaves that picked in the early May.

The health of tea Tree and Eco Blanced biological growing environment determine the basic quality in flavour/s and taste of tea.

Mei Lan hsiao, chinese tea master

The long lasting and complex multiple layers of aroma probably is the most unique charachter you will notice from Oolong tea, and the aroma is varied from region to region. If you drink a bubble of oolong tea, the first few flushes have obvious floral and fruity aromas and other natural tea aromas, but the next few flushes suddenly lose the aroma, then pay attention, you may buy tea with added.

If the oolong tea you drink only in the first 1 or 2 flushes has obvious floral or fruity aroma, afterwards aroma note drops sharply and the taste become flat and dull, thenn the chance that Oolong tea you bought probably with additive aroma substance is big.

The production for traditional roasted Oolong takes few months to complete after the picking. And, it is suggested to have patience for at least 6 months till the firing Yang energy cools down。

Few unique points to bear in mind for Eco quality traditional roasted oolong:

  • Tea garden is located in a protected Nature, far from any human and/or industrial pollution sources
  • Adapt nature fertilization, remove grass manually （preferrably tea farmers also respect and allow grass completes its life cycle）, free from pesticides.
  • In the region there are traces of wild live stock and insects that follow the nature laws of biological balance
  • Only pick once in Spring per year, tea trees are allowed to have well recovery after picking
  • The mao cha (tea after the basic production) will go through several times repeatedly roasting by experienced fire master.
  • The yearly harvest quantity is limited

There is no word to describe the emotional touch inside when standing in a tea garden. There is no better way to make a fine closure for a day with extraordinary taste of eco tea in this hot summer day.

排毒

By

On 29/07/2022

In 中文博客

许多人，不分中外，近来对排毒这两个字非常敏感, 对任何标榜排毒的产品都有兴趣购买. 然而有效排毒需要留意一天如何适度调整生活饮食与养生方式，如何有用心保持平衡，而不是靠一个“神奇”产品去排毒。

为了你的美貌，为了你的健康，留意正确掌握适人、适时、适当的排毒方法是有绝对必要的。

我们需要的是提升自我认知适当调整生活态度以及实际生活方法

德行定终生

By

On 29/07/2022

In 中文博客

今天在油管上面看到台湾曾仕强教授，生前录的一个影片，影片之中他提到五个字，其中含义真的很值得我们好好的反思:

德行（xing）定终生

在中国历史巨轮下，我们中国人自幼就不断的被教导基本道德的重要性。中国社会以及中华文化之所以能够如水穿石般的传承下来，依旧起因就在我们文化里面强调知礼、行义、遵廉、知耻的社会行为规范。

四维八德是我们中华文化中传统的基础。 “四维”是出于齐国管仲的《管子》一书，该书把【礼、义、廉、耻】称为国之“四维”。 国父孙中山先生在民族主义第六讲中特别倡导【忠、孝、仁、爱、信、义、和、平】为“八德”。

有些父母，或许是因为媚外心节，或许是被误导，以为国外的教育水平比国内好，而实不知的是，国外从幼儿园到大学的教育体制里面，由于被西方所谓自由浪漫主义的侵蚀，所以在学校，在社会发展中常见的是“自我”而不是“利他”的道德价值观，细究其因，问题就出在缺乏对礼义廉耻基本教养的重视。

负责任的父母想教导孩子之前，应该先把自己教好，先从家庭生活教养行为中落实知行合一。想要孩子能够有好的学习成长，那么是否父母应该先展示他们好学的精神以及真正的落实“活到老，学到老”的学习行为呢？

©萧美兰， 比利时， 22/7/2022

Lesson for parents

By

On 29/07/2022

In Others

今天在看小说的时候，作者写的这一段（我略微添油加醋了一点），真的是很值得我们身为父母的好好的学习。

大雁只有多飞翔，翅膀才会硬实，才能经得住千里迁徙。

老虎在成为百兽之王前，要先离开父母，独自去闯荡去捕猎，才能历练出锋利的猛爪和可以撕裂万物的利齿。

不管我们有多爱孩子，但是孩子不是我们的财产; 是我们生命的延续，但是他们有他们的世界去开创，有自己的路要走，有他们的天空需要他们展翅翱翔。

Filial Piety

By

On 29/07/2022

In Others

From an ancient Chinese idom we learned the utmost kindness begins with filial piety。 百善孝为先 （bǎi shàn xiào wéi xiān）

The sustainable leadereship style is in question if one does know its meaning, actually the reason is quite simple:

How can you expect someone who honestly loyal and respectful if s/he does not even show the same attitude to respect her/his own moral ‘responsibility” to her/his parents?

How can you expect someone know how to behave as a team member if s/he does not even has a brother or sister? or does not know the respect to her/his elder brothers/sisters and kindness to her/his younger brothers/sisters?

“三”的含义

By

On 29/07/2022

In 中文博客

三，在我们中华传统智慧里面有其独特的意义。最简单的我们就可以想到的是天地人，相互平衡的时候才能够撑住一鼎天地。在西周之前天的定义是天帝，尔后孔子把它的定义扩展为自然界。

今天自然界遭遇到前所未有的极端气候威胁，细究其因不就是因为我们人类有太久的自私与贪欲把自然当做所以而然的后果吗?

大暑刚过，我们还在炎夏的过程之中。我们的身体循环在面对高度热湿的压力，假若我们连聆听自己的身体尊重，忽视了解与体会体质如何与自然界变化保持平衡的重要性，那么哪怕我们天天高举环保意识的大旗的时候，当我们手握一盏茶饮时，却不用心思考如何维持身心意与生命中五行平和的重要性，那么我们这又是在欺骗谁呢？

阴阳虚实的互动关系

By

On 29/07/2022

In 中文博客

个人对阴阳虚实的体会是:

太极阴阳虚实不在形式的具体化，而在内在的虚实的灵活互动。

在实中有虚的灵活空间，而在虚中有实的中心支撑，虚实互动是自然而不刻意的灵活转换。

悟透内在的虚实且有足够具体实力掌控与身心意结合的意愿能量，那么肢体能放松的能力就自然不难。

虚实互动不光限于肢体具体化，而展现在心与肢体于吐纳过程中如何与意念结合。

小罐茶我知我见

By

On 29/07/2022

In 无界茶悟

前几年去参加浙江松阳茶博会之前我就听说过小罐茶，在松阳茶博会终于看到了小罐茶的包装。在当下我立刻就对包装提出我下面的看法:

  • 少量的包装可以鼓励有质疑的消费者愿意花小钱购买一点茶（样）来试试看。有助消费者对茶叶品质的兴趣与对茶企的品管信心。
  • 小罐如果是带有盖子的话，那么那个小罐还可以反复使用。但是如果小罐子是易拉罐，那么
    • 罐中的茶叶必须在那一次活动中喝完。消费者对茶叶泡法与用量是未必与茶企小罐茶的规划是一致的。收到易拉罐的人万一一次用不完，而茶罐又没有盖子，那不是很难堪吗？
    • 易拉型小罐，因为没有反复使用的可能，所以对环保会造成一个回收问题。换句话讲那一种小罐茶，不合乎环保意识人士的喜好。
  • 至于所谓大师加持，或许对那些夸大的市场宣传的服务公司有帮助，但是署名的大师对该款茶在曾经在哪里有出文证明他们对该公司与该茶的肯定呢?

对我这个海外洋包子来说，哪个哪个的大师是否真的有为该款茶背书，又是在什么情况下署名，类似过度炒作的作为反而会激起我的质疑。因为在评断过程中，对茶叶品质最具有评断力是茶叶本质与品茶的人。

个人建议国内大师们应该对自己对某项产品的署名要特别留意，因为那涉及了商业合作利益关系。在国外从事任何产品的市场宣传的时候不光是要注意检验报告的真实性，还有智慧财产权，肖像权，署名权等法律细节要注意。

当年在松阳茶博会，看到的小罐茶好像是10个还是12个小罐放在一个大盒子里面。看到那个大的礼盒，第1个印象就是「浪费」。因为不光是纸盒，而是盒里面用的填充物，因为那些填充物是会造成环保问题的材质。礼盒看是很气派，跟精简德行的生活是相悖的。浮夸的礼盒包装里面实在装的茶叶总重量不到100克，因为有所谓大师加持所以价格标的非常高，这对刺激购买欲可能会造成直接的阻碍。这种做法对茶真的有帮助吗？对改善茶农的生活水平有帮助吗？

在某些方面我是赞同用小罐茶的概念来推广好的茶。茶罐的量或25克或50克为一罐的单位。

与其搞什么大师加持，还不如拿出售价1%（或多%）的金额捐与茶区或贫困地区经过当地政府单位认可的可持续性发展项目中的助学或社会协助或环保有关的非政府非盈利组织，推动茶企支持回归自然，服务社会的善举，如此可以帮助提升茶企的社会形象。

若是一个茶企有不同的茶类，也有不同款茶，可以用最简单的“试茶”包装来吸引新的客户， 比方说下一个纸盒里面装6包茶，每一包茶以8-10公克做为试茶单位（不需要用罐子，减少铝罐的投资以及环保顾虑）。每一盒的茶叶因为没有过度夸张的包装开支，让售价合理化，如此可以刺激消费者因为价格不贵可以鼓励他们轻易的做决定购买茶样。在评过该品牌6种茶之后，消费者日后就容易决定要购买哪一种茶。

建议把所有的投资与努力回归到鼓励茶企坚持提升好茶的品质与安全管理。茶企的品牌唯有在市场上能建立可信度，鼓励消费者对茶的喜爱，终而复始经由茶表达对品牌以及茶企的信任。
©萧美兰， 比利时中华茶文化协会於安特卫普，比利时， 25/07/2022

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