Translated by Yu-shan Chao
As the ancient Chinese proverb goes, “Firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy, vinegar and tea begin a day.” While these seven daily necessities constitute the lives of the common people in China, tea has already transformed itself into a kind of culture, and the unique methods for tea-tasting have furthermore grown into a specific kind of art. Ever since the Qing Dynasty, when the immigrants from the Fujian province introduced the tea tree seeds and the tea-making techniques into Taiwan, tea has become one of Taiwan’s greatest agricultural products due to Taiwan’s advantaged tea-growing conditions in climate and geography. Tea has also officially become Taiwan’s main export product during the Japanese Colonial period. Along with camphor and sugar cane, altogether called “Taiwan’s three treasures,” in the mid 19th century Taiwan tea has received reputation after being introduced abroad and the tea exporting industry has also prospered for hundred years ever since.
「開門7件事，柴米油鹽醬醋茶」，說的是尋常百姓日常生活的必需品。其中的茶，對中華民族而言已衍生為一種文化，更薰陶出獨特的品茗美學。自清朝的福建移民將茶樹及製茶引進台灣後，在地形與氣候的得天獨厚下，台灣茶於日治時期，已與樟腦、蔗糖名列當時的台灣三寶，在19世紀中葉首度引至海外後，更獲得成功的口碑，正式展開台灣百餘年的外銷製茶史。
Not only does the renowned Taiwan tea serve as the best souvenir choice for the foreign tourists but has it also transformed into fancier forms in the international market. Pearl milk tea, also known as bubble tea, is one of the best examples. Being one of the remarkably popular products in the International Culinary Exhibition, pearl milk tea stimulates the bubble-tea-selling business around Asia, Europe, and America by numerous investors, with many of them being local people. On the other hand, Taiwanese tea farmers are actively studying new tea-seed-growing and tea-leaf-baking techniques in order to improve the quality of tea to a higher level. Marketing strategies and packing techniques are paid with full attention by these farmers so as to make tea-drinking a more attractive ceremony that can bring more profits to the business.
遠近馳名的台灣茶，不僅是來台觀光客最喜愛的辦手禮之一，近幾年來也以花式茶飲進軍國際，在各國美食展上風靡不少人的珍珠奶茶，先後在亞洲歐美開設據點，其中不乏是由當地人士所創辦。而台灣茶農除積極研發種植及烘焙技術，提升台灣茶的品質外，現在也開始重視行銷包裝，讓喝茶也可以很有意思，吸引不少商機。
Just because Taiwan tea owns such high quality and high price, the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan puts much effort in promoting traceability system and certification marks of origin for the local tea, which now include eight kinds that ensure consumers’ rights locally and abroad: “Lugu DongDing Oolongtea” of Lugu Township Office in Nantou County, “Alishan High Mountains Tea” of Chiayi County Government, “Wenshan Bao-Chung Tea” of New Taipei City and Taipei City Government, “Sunlinksea Tea” of Jhushan Township Office in Nantou County, “Rueisuei Tian He Tea” of Huanlian County’s Rueisuei Farmers’ Assosiation, “Beipu Pomfeung Tea” of Hsinchu County’s Beipu Township Office, “Sun Moon Lake Black Tea” of Yuchi Township Office in Nantou County and “Mt. He Huan High Mountain tea” of Nantou County Government. Consumers can always enter the website “Mark of Origin and Safety Recognition System for Taiwan Tea” (http://tw-tea.ttes.gov.tw) to understand more about Taiwan tea with real good qualities.
正因好品質的台灣茶價格不菲，行政院農業委員會目前輔導各地特色茶產區，申請產銷履歷制度及產地證明標章，目前已核發南投縣鹿谷鄉公所的「鹿谷凍頂烏龍茶」、嘉義縣政府的「阿里山高山茶」、新北市及台北市政府的「文山包種茶」、南投縣竹山鎮公所的「杉林溪茶」、花蓮縣瑞穗鄉農會的「瑞穗天鶴茶」、新竹縣北埔鄉公所的「北埔膨風茶」、南投縣魚池鄉公所的「日月潭紅茶」及南投縣政府的「合歡山高冷茶」等8種產地標章，以保障國內外消費者的權益。消費者可自「茶葉原產地及安全識別系統」網站（http://tw-tea.ttes.gov.tw），認識真正的台灣好茶。
To establish better reputation for Taiwan tea, Taiwan Outstanding Agriculturalists Association, Taiwan Tea Association and Taiwan Tea News together held the “Oolong Tea World Contest 2012” that welcomes all sorts of top-class Oolong tea farmers around the world to join the competition. The contest accepts application until November 30, 2012. If you are interested in winning the “World’s Best Oolong Tea,” please visit www.tea520.com.tw for more information.
為建立台灣茶的口碑，台灣傑出農業專家發展協會、台灣茶協會及台灣茶訊等單位共同舉辦「2012年世界烏龍茶大賽」，廣邀世界各國頂級烏龍茶來台一較高下，比賽接受網路報名至11月30日止，報名網址為www.tea520.com.tw，歡迎來競逐「世界第一頂級烏龍茶」的殊榮。
