| dc.description.abstract | A Study on the Change of the Tea Industry in Longtan
Abstract
In the Qing Dynasty, the land traffic in Taiwan was underdeveloped, so the inland river
navigation arose. The upper stream of Dakekan River, San Keng Zi, Longtan was where the
commodities were transported from the deep mountains to the north of Taiwan. Dakekan
River was the fastest and most convenient way. San Keng Zi, Longtan, was situated at the
transferring location between the river and the land, so there were streets and markets full of
people and commodities. It played an important role in transporting the commodities of north
Hsinchu and south Taoyuan, especially the transportation of tea.
The tea industry of Taiwan started to develop in the second half of the 19th
The tea industry was the main way to earn foreign money in the early days in Taiwan.
“North Tea and South Sugar” was well-known. The tea-producing regions in the early days of
Taiwan were mainly located in the northern part of Taiwan, especially the hills of Taipei,
Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli. The tea plantations of Longtan were around Tong Luo Quan.
In terms of the amount of production, Longtan was the main tea-producing region with the
annual yield of about 25,000 tons, up to one-tenth of that of the whole country.
century. The
“Formosa Tea” gradually became famous in the foreign market. It became the important
commodities in Taiwan and was called “the Treasure of Taiwan” together with cane sugar and
camphor. It had a deep influence on the social and economic development in north Taiwan.
In the early days, the tea farmers at Beipu and Emei carried the raw tea by themselves
through Chiunglin and Guanxi to Longtan and Daxi. Then the tea was transported through the
waterway to Da-Dau-Cheng, where it was sold. Longtan was located at the hub of the tea
production and transportation, and the climate there was also ideal for the tea trees. Therefore,
Longtan had an edge and a history in the tea industry.
Why does Longtan, which used to be the second largest tea-producing region in north
Taiwan, no longer have influence? In the process of transformation, what method and style
should it focus on to reshape the local characteristics? In the global economic transition,
whether it can extend the development of the tea industry and establish and maintain a new
trend will be an important issue. | en_US |