Letter from the Executive Editor

Oolong Tea 

A thread linking the two sides of the Taiwan's Strait

The huge amount of foreign currency brought in by early tea exports has played an indelible role in Taiwan's current economic success, leading to its important position in today's world economy.

In 1869, the first shipment of Taiwanese tea arrived in the United States. Tis marked the bieginning Formosa tea's worldwide tea road. The road led to the US, to Southern Asia, to Europe, and even as far as North Africa, to Saudi Arabia. The Forerunners of this trade were the tea company heads, the teahouse managers, and the tea factory founders. They came from all over China. ...

This focus of this special issue is Anxi Tieguanyin and the role of Oolong tea as a thread linking the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. From Muzha and Anxi's Guanyin connection to Muzha Tieguanyin's path to development, we describe in detail the branches and long leaves of Tieguanyin. ...

Anxi people in Taiwan have preserved the "ripe yun" of traditional Tieguanyin. Taste a cup of Muzha Tieguanyin and experience the stream of history and culture. Appreciate th erich human cultural flavor of Anxi Tieguanyin that has emanated from Taiwan.