Taiwan Insight

Taiwanese Tea Art Beyond the Lens of Tradition

15 July 2026 NGA Shi Yeu

Written by Thiago Braga. This article explores Taiwanese Tea Art, challenging its view as a static or “invented” tradition. Instead, the author frames it as a dynamic, evolving practice deeply intertwined with Taiwan’s modern history, from geopolitical shifts and economic miracles to democratisation and identity reclamation. Tea art serves as a sensory canvas reflecting Taiwan’s ongoing sociocultural and political transformations.

Taiwan Tea

14 July 2026 NGA Shi Yeu

Written by Chen Chih-hao. This article traces the historical evolution of Taiwan tea from its introduction by migrants from Fujian and Guangdong to its emergence as a globally recognised cultural product. It argues that Taiwan tea was shaped not only by environmental adaptation and technological innovation but also by interethnic collaboration, shifting global markets, and changing domestic consumption, revealing tea as a material expression of Taiwan’s social resilience and cultural identity.

From Poppies to Tea Gardens: How Taiwan’s Tea Took Root on Thailand’s Northern Borderland

13 July 2026 NGA Shi Yeu

Written by Po-Yi Hung. Taiwan’s tea is often associated with its mountain landscapes, but its influence extends far beyond the island. This article traces how Taiwanese tea varieties, cultivation techniques, and agricultural expertise transformed the former opium-growing borderlands of northern Thailand. It reveals tea as more than an agricultural commodity, as a vehicle of diplomacy, territorial governance, and cross-border mobility that quietly reshaped the Golden Triangle.

When Tea Becomes Everything (Part 2)

10 July 2026 NGA Shi Yeu

Written by Gawin Tiansuwan. In Part 2, the author follows a deeper immersion into tea culture, spanning Canada, Thailand, and Taiwan. A life-changing move to Taipei to study Mandarin leads to a deep connection with Taiwan’s tea community, historic neighbourhoods, and a young master in Pinglin. Using these Taiwanese tea-making insights, he returns to Northern Thailand to help revitalising local wild tea traditions.

When Tea Becomes Everything (Part 1)

9 July 2026 NGA Shi Yeu

Written by Gawin Tiansuwan. In Part 1, the author traces a personal journey of self-discovery through tea. Moving from Western blends in the UK to traditional gongfu cha in Hong Kong, the author explores how tea provided stability during burnout. Crucially, an inspiring trip to Taiwan’s iconic teahouses sparked a lifelong passion, prompting the purchase of his first Yixing teapot and ultimately bridging a connection to his ethnic heritage.

Freedom and Forgetting: The Cheng Nan-jung Paradox in Taiwan’s Democracy

8 July 2026 Adrian Chiu

Written by Meng Kit Tang. The article examines how Cheng Nan-jung, now commemorated as a martyr of free speech, was once violently rejected by the opposition movement that later claimed his ideals. It argues that this episode is a test of democratic credibility. By placing the 1987 incident alongside present-day political rhetoric, the piece highlights the risks of selective remembrance in a maturing democracy.

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