Ming Xiang Ming Cha Introduction
A tea fragrance worth waiting for. In 1978, Chen Jianhong, driven by his intense interest in tea, decisively left his identity as a sculptor and established Mingxiang Tea House. At the age of 28, during a time when information was not readily available, Chen spent three years searching for books, literature, and tea farmer friends, exploring and learning about the knowledge and skills of "roasting tea" on his own. "During the first three years of opening the store, we were starving because the tea wasn't selling," Chen said with a gentle smile. What supported him all along was his love for tea, and because of this deep affection, when he saw the paper published by Professor Zeng Zhizheng from the Institute of Biotechnology at National Chung Hsing University in 2008, he immediately picked up a brush and wrote a sincere "self-recommendation letter" to Professor Zeng. The next day, Professor Zeng called and invited Chen to meet in Taichung, and their charming relationship began that way. Through an industry-academia collaboration, Professor Zeng provided knowledge while Chen provided technology, and after six years of cooperation, they developed the store's signature product—Roasted Oolong Tea. In the past, it took six years to roast aged tea, but they shortened the process to two years, using Qingxin Oolong to create Roasted Oolong Tea rich in beneficial compounds like "theanin" and "gallic acid," marketed as "caffeine-free and devoid of stimulating elements, gentle and not harmful to the stomach." In 2017, Mingxiang Tea House underwent a renovation; now stepping inside, one finds a bright and clean space with a simple and elegant Japanese style, where every tea product is a result of Chen Jianhong's meticulous roasting. He mentioned that during the roasting season, he needs to spend over eight hours a day next to the stove, never allowing himself to slack off, working diligently for a full 20 days to roast the ideal tea. His obsession and dedication to tea stem from his view of tea not as a "commercial product," but rather as an "art form," integrating art into his life and producing one pot after another of tea filled with the essence of time. Recommended dishes: Roasted Oolong Tea, Gold Digger Beauty.
