Master of handcrafted tea Chen Mao-chun (陳茂淳) passed away on Aug. 17 at the age of 86. Chen was recognized by the Nantou County Government as the preserver of Puchung Tea (埔中茶) making techniques. Saddened by the master’s death, Minister of Culture Shih Che expressed his condolences and commended Chen’s outstanding techniques in traditional tea making, which has been highly praised by Nantou’s local tea manufacturers. To commemorate Chen’s contribution to preserving and passing down the knowledge of Taiwan’s traditional handcrafted tea, the Ministry of Culture will present a posthumous certificate of appreciation to the tea connoisseur.
Born to a family of tea farmers in 1939 in Nantou’s Mingjian Township (名間鄉), Chen had learned tea cultivation and farm work when he was young. After serving in the army, he returned to his hometown to learn how to manage tea plantations and take over the family business, which is currently carried on by the sixth generation. He had witnessed the development of Mingjian’s Puchung Tea throughout his life.
Mingjian Township has a history of more than 100 years of handmade tea, and the early planting zones were concentrated in the Puchung area. The traditional tea-making procedures, including planting, picking, and baking, are all done by hand and must be adapted to weather conditions. The tea-making process encompasses the interaction between local communities and the natural environment, helping to develop systematic professional knowledge and techniques. Every procedure relies on the experience and expertise of the tea maker to produce good tea.
Chen Mao-chun won numerous medals and prizes in tea-related competitions in his lifetime. He had rich experiences in tea making, possessed knowledge of the tea craft, and was well-versed in the environmental and natural factors that affect tea production in the local region.
With the perseverance to make good tea, Chen actively assisted in passing down the traditional handcrafted tea culture and even led his next generation to set up tea workshops, allowing people to know more about the procedures, processes, and skills in traditional handmade tea. In 2019, Chen was designated as the preservationist of the knowledge and practice of making Puchung Tea by the local government.