The best tea in Thailand-
Hong Ding Black Tea
By Hsieh, Pei-Shan ─2018 Summer
In Mae Salong, there are many descendants of soldiers, who come from Yunnan and against communism.
In1949, after Chinese Civil War, the people in Yunnan, Guangdong and Guangxi surrendered to the CCP, the soldiers retreat to Myanmar.
However, after the Korean War was launched in 1950, the soldiers from Yunnan almost won and get the territory of Myanmar. Myanmar told United Nations so the USA required Chiang Kai-shek let those soldiers backed to Taiwan. It’s the first time, and the second time is in 1961. But Chiang Kai-shek desired to strike back at mainland China by those soldiers, only the old, weak woman and children were allowed to back to Taiwan, young adult must stayed in Mae Salong and waited for the chance to recover mainland China. And the founder of Hong Ding Tea -Hongsheng Chu and his father were two of them. By means of that, they were disassembled family.
After the government of ROC gave up to strike back at mainland China, there were less and less resource in Mae Salong, so people’s life became poor and poor.To make a living,
they started to sell opiums illegally. And by means of that, there ware many people became drug addicts. Mae Salong go a famous opium distribution center.
Because the residents knew that it is impossible to sell opium forever, so general Xi-wen Duan turned to Taiwan for help. The government considered that the climate in Mae Salong was suitable for planting tea. So Mae Salong imported the technology of planting tea from Taiwan, and that is why the tea in Mae Salong is so similar to Taiwan’s. And the machine in this photo is imported from Taiwan 40 years ago, it still works well now in Hongsheng Chu’s factory.
In Mae Salong ,tea industry is a flourishing industry. It is famous for their tea is organic and many families make a business of planting tea, and so does Hongsheng Chu’s family. But there are something different that his tea is Hong “Ding” tea (in English is the red “top ” tea). Since it is organic so leaves of his tea aren’t beautiful, even have many traces of insects. But the quality and taste aren’t be worse than other tea.
In 1980’s, there was the blossom of economy in Taiwan and many people decided to come to Taiwan on business, and Hongsheng Chu is one of them. However, there was still discrimination on Southeast Asians, they couldn’t get reasonable wage. Nevertheless, Hongsheng Chu still worked very hard, because he wanted to earn enough money that he could back to Mae Salong for building his own tea factory. Finally he succeeded and founded Yuan Hong tea factory.
Because black tea is bitter than oolong tea, so oolong tea is more popular that the price of Assam black tea in Mae Salong was falling and falling. However, Hongsheng Chu considered that “Black tea can be good to drink definitely, but we should find the problem first.” So he decided to improve it.
3 years after, he succeed. In 2013 he launch the black tea with aroma and mellowness, that is Hong Ding Tea.
In the process of he develop Hong Ding Black Tea, it isn’t difficult to imagine that Hongsheng Chu experienced many failures. For sure, he also considered giving up. In spite of that, he still sticked to the end. Because he considered that he could do it if he find the problem.As an old saying goes, “Heaven helps those who help themselves.”, Hongsheng Chu succeed .
Hong Ding Black Tea is more expensive than another black tea in Mae Salong by means of its high quality. In order to promote it, Hongsheng Chu sent it to wherever he could send to give guests a try, including Thailand, China and Taiwan. It is sure that he ran a business at a loss at first ;however, he considered that if he want to get more guests, they must really love the tea’s tastes. Hong Ding Black Tea is organic and it also can prevent colds so that Hong Ding Black Tea is very hot for people who pay attention to their health. It’s really good to drink that all of us love the tea’s taste!
If there is a chance for youth visit or travel to Mae Salong in the future, there is no harm in give Hong Ding Black Tea a try. Mae Salong is such a beautiful place with scene and history that I promise that it will be worth it!