It is widely said that Taichung has three specialties: tea, cakes and hot pots. For quite some time, the tea-drinking trend has been popular, to the point that you can walk into any street or alley and be sure to find little "bubble tea" shops or traditional tea houses, all with their own unique styles. Clearly, Taichung's tea culture is both varied and colorful. In the following article, several famous and special Taichung tea houses are covered, reflecting one cultural facet of metropolitan life through the art of tea drinking.
According to statistics, young women in their teens and 20s tend to prefer hanging out in bubble tea shops, whereas men prefer frequenting traditional tea houses with Chinese-style architecture, spending their time slowly drinking Kung Fu tea, playing chess or cards and chatting with friends. Whether you are an expert in the art of tea, or just looking for a place to rest your weary feet, local tea houses are sure to please you with varied choices, from Dong Ding Wu Long Tea, Pu Er Chrysanthemum Tea and Tie Guan Yin Tea to other less-traditional flavored tea drinks. Tea has always been an essential item in the every day lives of Chinese people and Compass Magazine writers have searched high and low for the following tea houses, in hopes that readers can enjoy moments of peace and relaxation in the pleasant environments of these tea retreats.

Times of Sorrow and Joy Cultural Teahouse

29, DaQuan Street
Tel: (04) 2371-1984
11 am-10 pm (closed for five days before New Year's Eve)
Credit cards accepted.

On the corner of LinSen Road and DaQuan Street is an old-looking Japanese-style building that looks very welcoming. It was once the home of a Japanese professor during the Japanese colonial period. In 1988, teahouse owner Mr. Wu refurbished the house and opened for business. The interior decor includes a tasteful mix of Japanese and Chinese style antique furniture. Light music blends in well with the tea culture here. Soft lighting and tatami floors give this place the atmosphere of a sanctuary from many years ago. High-grade teas such as Bi Luo Chun, Guan Yin Tea, Pu Er Tea and Wu Long Tea are available here. Made hot or cold with mineral water from BaXian Mountain, each tea has a unique personality. Whether you come here alone or with a friend, you can opt for the "bowl" style tea, where the tea leaves are allowed to open up completely in the bowl, emitting fragrance from the tea. If there are a few more in your party, enjoy your tea in a pot. Carefully prepared snacks and meals are offered as well. Main meals are served with white rice or wholegrain rice and a glass of original Vinegar Drink, vegetable juice, or special tea drink. There are different meal sets available--the Business Lunch Set (NT$200), Delicate Meal Set (NT$300) and the High-Grade Guan Yin Tea Meal Set (NT$450). They also provide custom-made tea tins, which can be ordered according to customers' requests; minimum orders are 10-15 sets. Please contact the teahouse for prices. Their original vinegar drinks are also available for sale, with flavors like Chrysanthemum Vinegar, Lavender Vinegar, Pine Leaves Vinegar, and Fruit Vinegar. Come and enjoy a pot of tea at Times of Sorrow and Joy Cultural Teahouse while you read a book or chat with friends.

Shui He Tang Tea House

755, ZhongZheng Road, Sec.2, Changhua City
Tel: (04) 751-1818
Hours: 10 am-1 am

Situated on the busy ZhongZheng Road in Changhua city's busy restaurant district, this establishment is a lovely meeting place for tea lovers. Shui He Tang is decorated with antique Chinese furniture and Chinese calligraphy scrolls. The antique tables and chairs here are over 100 years old; the decorative window sills blend seamlessly into the surroundings, with every corner covered in beautiful antiques. Each section offers its own unique scenery and window view. There are VIP rooms that accommodate two to four people, plus large conference rooms that seat up to 30. In addition, privacy and sound-proofing are among the features worked into the design here.
The highest grade tea available here is the high-mountain Lishan Yu Lu Tea. There is also the specially selected ancient Pu Er Tea from China's Yunnan province. During the tea making process, an aroma of charcoal is released and these leaves can make up to 10 pots of tea while still maintaining their flavors and aroma. Young people tend to prefer Jin Xuan Tea with its slightly creamy taste. The shop's unique blend of Shui He Luo Shen Flower Tea also comes highly recommended, as does their Taro Milk Tea, made with fresh milk, and their Vegetarian Jelly with Lemon Iced Drink.
The owner personally heads to Nantou's XinYi Mountain area to ask farmers to plant, dry and marinade plums for his tea house. These plums are boiled twice to get rid of any foreign matter and dust. Then they are kept in the cellar for over two years and no preservatives are used in the process. Iced plums are a perfect, healthy accompaniment to good tea. Healthy diners can also savor the healthy Vegetarian Mushroom Hot Pot if they're hungry.
Most of the customers here are teachers and public servants and prices are reasonable, between NT$45 and NT$230, with afternoon tea sets available for NT$69.

Wu Wei Tsao Tang

106, GongYi Road, sec. 2
Tel: (04) 2329-6707
Hours: 10 am-1am

Amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown Taichung is a corner of peace and serenity, an antiquated garden with an air of otherworldly elegance. Wu Wei Tsao Tang has been in business for over 10 years, providing a place for tea appreciation as well as rest and relaxation. Antique-styledecorations and the fragrance of tea here have drawn quite a few foreign visitors as well. This place is not pretentious either, as tea drinking is seen as a part of daily life, and the tea house as simply a place for casual friendly gatherings. Recapturing the simple enjoyment of drinking tea is the key here. Meals are rather special: the rice in the set meals is cooked with five different grains, adding an extra healthy element. The European Style Country Pork Chop with Rice (NT$250), is a delicious combination of deep fried pork chop and the chef's homemade honey and mustard sauce. The Brown Sugar Cake (NT$70), Shrimp Shao Mai and other snacks are very good, too. Special activities held here regularly include seminars and tea ceremony demonstrations, as well as special programs during different festivals. There are also live Chinese musical performances every Wednesday and Saturday evening.

Tao Yuan Ming New Classical Tea House

179, XiangShang Road, sec. 2
Tel: (04) 2387-6188
Hours: 10 am-1 am

Tao Yuan Ming New Classical Tea House is a combination tea establishment. The name comes from a famous Chinese poet. "Tao" has the same sound as the character for pottery, as pottery making and appreciation are enjoyed here, too. "Yuan" represents the lovely garden, while "Ming" has the connotation of tea appreciation. Five willow trees have been planted in the garden as a sign of respect for the poet, who wrote a story about a man known as Mr. Five Willows. The tea house is 300 pings large with 17 VIP rooms, a huge courtyard and a conference room on the second floor. As opposed to most antique-style tea houses, an element of modernity has been injected into the interior decor here. The management takes pride in the quality of both their meals and teas. The Thai Style Chicken (NT$218) is made with a boneless chicken drumstick that is first steamed, then deep fried, and eaten with a delicious sweet and sour sauce. Kung Fu tea is categorized according to the level of roasting. Lightly roasted teas are pale gold in color; deep roasted teas are dark brown and contain less caffeine. As this tea house likes to remind patrons, drinking tea not only helps neutralize the body's pH value, but also is a good way to keep fit and prevent cancer. (Shan Lin Shi Tea is NT$220 for 50 grams, Alishan Mountain Tea is NT$220 per 25 grams, and High Mountain Jin Xuan Tea is NT$80 per 25 grams. The minimum charge here is NT$100/person.)

Geng Du Yuan

251, HuaMei West Street, sec. 2
Tel: (04) 2316-5030

Geng Du Yuan takes its name from the Chinese saying, "cultivate when the sun shines and study when it rains", which means that one ought to continuously strive to improve oneself at all times. With the philosophy of promoting tea-drinking culture, this tea house aims to provide surroundings where people can gather to appreciate tea and promote this Chinese cultural inheritance.
The largest Geng Du Yuan tea house in Taichung is the Hua Mei branch. Over 700 pings large, it has been in business for almost five years and used to be a deserted garden with 300-year-old banyan trees. Inspired by these trees and wanting to create the feeling of drinking tea under an old tree, the owner built this teahouse. With flowing water under a little bridge, pagodas and lanterns, traditional Suzhou-style gardens create a rich Chinese atmosphere. The meals here are just as appealing. Handmade tea snacks, such as the "Kou Kou Shu Tea Cakes" (NT$70), are sweet but not overpowering, and have a lovely aftertaste. The Handmade Fresh Milk Rolls (NT$90) are eaten with crushed peanuts and are tastier than ordinary mochi glutinous rice cakes. Another very popular choice, "Yun Dou Rolls" (NT$90) have mashed white beans on the outside and mashed dates on the inside.
There is also an outdoor stage theater with activities such as shadow puppets, Taiwanese opera, live music, and tea parties taking place. Currently, there are already 14 Geng Du Yuan branches. When asked how he has remained in business for over 20 years, the manager explained that, as his tea houses have always been customer-oriented, customer loyalty is the main reason.

The Story Behind "Pearl Milk Tea"
Many Taiwanese in their 30s and 40s have grown up with "Pearl Milk Tea". Besides coffee, Pearl Milk Tea has become a very trendy drink which, outside of Taiwan, has sparked a craze that has continued to spread and take root at a rate that defies imagination. Whether you are in Shanghai, Los Angeles, Canada, Japan or almost anywhere else that Chinese people live, you are almost certain to find an establishment that sells Pearl Milk Tea.
So who was the genius who "invented" this inviting drink? This is a question has been debated by many people. For most Taichung residents, the mention of Pearl Milk Tea brings the Yang Xian Tea Company--now better known as Chun Shui Tang--immediately to mind. Chun Shui Tang tea house can rightly be labeled as the "home" of Pearl Milk Tea. Twenty-two years ago, it introduced Bubble Red Tea to the world. Three years later, Miss Lin, presently the company's Research and Development Department manager, decided to introduce gelatin balls into the product development lab. Miss Lin's mother sold gelatin balls at the market and Miss Lin herself was a great fan of them, which led to her creation of the unique "milk tea with gelatin balls".
This drink soon became well-known among her colleagues, who quickly spread the word. Soon it was made available exclusively to the staff and some regular customers. The following year, it was decided that this drink would be introduced to the market, but the name "milk tea with gelatin balls" just didn't quite fit. After much consideration, it was named "Pearl Milk Tea" because the gelatin balls resembled little black pearls. Pearl Milk Tea became an overnight success, creating a craze, not only in Taiwan but all over the world. To this day, one of the best ways to quench a thirst is a glass of Pearl Milk Tea.

Chun Shui Tang Tea House
http://www.icetea.com.tw/City