Op-Ed header

T Ching’s Opinion and Editorial section – read about tea thoughts, dreams, life, ideas, and everything in between

Popular Taiwanese Tea: Dong Ding Oolong

Popular Taiwanese Tea: Dong Ding Oolong

Recently I attended an event that I believe was a first of its kind here in Taiwan. The Nantou County Government sponsored the Lugu Farmers’ Association to host a public forum on the local specialized industry of Dong Ding Oolong Tea.

How do You Explain the Unique Qualities of Tea?

How do You Explain the Unique Qualities of Tea?

A huge part of my job as a tea importer trying to establish Chinese tea service as a cultural practice in America is drawing analogies. This is quite easy when it comes to the tea itself – good tea, like good wine, beer, chocolate, coffee, liquor, or pretty much

Do You Have a Favorite Tea? Searching for “The One”

Do You Have a Favorite Tea? Searching for “The One”

We all go on a quest in life looking for something to make it all worth it. We date in search for the one; we apply to jobs in search for one; we look for purpose in search of one. On this journey, we so often find others that we loosely call our favorite, or a temporary favorite, yet we are (hopefully) selective before we dedicate ourselves to one.

Exploring the Meaning of Tea 5; Tea is Friendship

Exploring the Meaning of Tea 5; Tea is Friendship

Tea has always been the emblem of civilization and peace. “Through tea make friends” is an old proverb expressing the sentiments we share with tea. Tea isn’t always deep and transcendent; it is sometimes a time/space of calm joy, where we can celebrate old friends and make new ones.

Exploring the Meaning of Tea 4; Tea is Heart and Spirit

Exploring the Meaning of Tea 4; Tea is Heart and Spirit

Tea is a spiritual path, a Dao. In living a life of tea we realize that in all we do, we are preparing tea. What we eat affects our tea, as does the way we treat people. One of our masters always says, “If you want to learn to make tea, you must first learn to be a person.” That’s easier said than done.

Exploring the Meaning of Tea 3; Tea is Medicine

Exploring the Meaning of Tea 3; Tea is Medicine

Learning to revere tea as medicine is important to us. Tea is a great healer, of body, mind and spirit. The earliest encyclopedia of Chinese herbs to mention tea stated that it “brightens the eyes.” This is a powerful expression of why Shen Nong,

Immortal Dew

Immortal Dew

I do have a favorite tea, and where it’s grown it doesn’t have a particular name. We call it Immortal Dew.

Omotenashi in the Japanese Tea Ceremony

Omotenashi in the Japanese Tea Ceremony

When you enter any place as a customer or guest in Japan, you’ll quickly notice that everyone seems to be at your service. It almost makes you feel that you have done them a favor just by visiting!

The History of Tea in Taiwan

The History of Tea in Taiwan

If tea drinkers were asked to list their favorite teas and then told afterward that their tea choices provided a peek into their personalities, many would concede that there are plausible connections.

Tea for Romance

Tea for Romance

there are many different categories of substances named after the Greek Goddess of love, Aphrodite.

The Benefits of Buying Organic Tea

The Benefits of Buying Organic Tea

When you buy organic tea you support the organic tea movement. Full stop. What is it that you’re supporting? Your purchase supports organic farmers who have the integrity of the earth in mind.

Tea Blending; History and Advice from 1894

Tea Blending; History and Advice from 1894

Tea blends come about for love or money. Some blends are classic creations shared across millennia, while others are the secret formulas of tea growers and merchants hoping to capture the affections of tea drinkers with their exclusive blends.

Why do Translations of Chinese Tea Names Differ so Much?

Why do Translations of Chinese Tea Names Differ so Much?

Iron Buddha, Iron Goddess of Mercy, Iron Bodhisattva, Tik Goon Yam, Tieguanyin, Tie Guan Yin, Tit Kwon Yin. These are different spellings of the same tea. Of course this same tea can have a huge spectrum in terms of grade, taste and quality but that is a story for another post.

Tiguanyin; A Cup of Compassion

Tiguanyin; A Cup of Compassion

In the face of what on some days seems like a crumbling world, a planet in total chaos, we find ourselves retracting and hiding rather than...

Best Teas for Joint Pain Management

Best Teas for Joint Pain Management

Joint pain is quick to hinder our mobility as well as decrease our fervor in life. It manifests as inflammation, which is usually characterized by swollen joints, redness, loss of joint function and stiffness.

What’s Your Rocky Mountain High?

What’s Your Rocky Mountain High?

The media’s exploding with news tidbits surrounding the progressive marijuana legislation in our mile-high state of Colorado. Food pairings, cooking with weed, herbal infusion blends – are all topics which you see in the headlines in our local papers.

Funko Pop!

Funko Pop!

If Funko Pop! designers could think outside the box, they would create limited editions featuring notable tea masters.

Tea Blogging Life Cycle

Tea Blogging Life Cycle

Over the last year I’ve questioned why I keep writing. It just gets old, writing similar thoughts over and over…

Is the Tea Ceremony Romantic?

Is the Tea Ceremony Romantic?

One member of my Tea Dharma Club asked me: “Is the tea ceremony romantic?” I was surprised by this question, so I checked an English dictionary to find what the word “romantic” means.

A Very Brief History of Iranian Tea

A Very Brief History of Iranian Tea

In recent months I came across two Iranian films: “A Separation”, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012, and a film entitled, “This Is Not a Film.”

Life With Father

Life With Father

Despite my best efforts I have not turned Dad into a tea drinker. Then Dad made an unfavorable comparison…

Tea Transition

Tea Transition

In less than a second, one can access dozens of articles and websites regarding the health benefits of green tea.

K-Cup Confession

K-Cup Confession

Somehow, grief reduced me to feeling like I did not deserve to be good to myself: My husband’s passing made me hesitate a bit in my tea ritual.