Belgium Chinese Tea Centre

On 01/10/2022

In About Us

To my husband and children, same as many friends know me for being “stubborness with dignity” but not necessary know how my upbringing has influenced who I am and how I am.

I was the only child in the family for the first six years in my life. At that time, even though as a military family in the 60’s, we had a pretty earthy and rough life and I could only see my Dad 2 max. 3 times a year. But I really had a very fine memories from the wild childhood and love from my parents. I stayed with the best friend of my parents for nearly 8 months before I saw my younger brother for the first time. Immediately I loved the idea to take care of him by being a ‘elder sister’. When Nian Yong was young, he often got sick; so it’s normal that he got all the attention and care from my parents and accepted Mom has no extra energy for me.

Dad used to lead soldiers, so it’s ‘normal’ that I have to take the responsibility based on joint and several ‘liability’ for my brother; I learned to accept it without argument.

One night I had a very strang dream when I was 9-10 years old, when I woke up I started to question whether I was adopted, but I did not dare to ask but kept quiet. The real question rose when I had my first blood test at the age of 12, because I am the only one in the family with A blood type while Dad and brother are O and Mom is B. But again, I dared not to ask, simply put this question in the drawer in heart. That year we went to Taichung for uncle Chen’s wedding, I was so exciting because it was the first time I wore stockings with a beautiful dress and new shoes. In the middle of wedding feest, Mom and Dad decided to leave earlier after meeting a full-sized woman with a little boy, who were them? I dared not ask until when I was 16 years old that little boy sent me a letter to my school, then I realized they were my biological family. After the visit to my bio-sister in the nearby university, when I saw how she and I were so alike as twin, instantly I knew there’s no question about the adoption. Immediately I made the decision not to ask the ‘why’ question to either side, simply quietly accepted the reality submissively because I did not want to make both side parents felt scare of losing me or felt quilty for giving me away for adoption. Without knowing, underconsciousely since then I start to avoid and not to talk about my feeling deep inside on how I dream for love but do not dare to ask for love from others. Since made the decision of accepting not to ask for love from others, I then realized the importance in life is to love self by holding integrity and enhancing self disciplines strongly. Time passed, the level of stubborness deepened.

(…..to continue……)

The Circle of Life

On 21/09/2022

Here are some basic traditional interpretations for the change of seasons in the Nature which is same as change in life according to the Daoism philosophy:

Spring : before welcoming the warm breeze, we still need to pay attention to the coldest time of the year; the first thunder awakens the Yin energy in the Nature, all lives start to whistle with cheerful melody

Summer: definitely is the time to enjoy the heart bumping meanwhile should remain calm, to avoid wild fire burning

Autumn: the wind changes from warm to cold, the nature can be uneased, some extreme can still happen, it’s time we need to learn what and how to adapt to the change; certainly on how the heating Yang energy could rise when encountering the cold Yin energy. When facing the change of energy, it’s time to prepare, to repair and to restore before winter comes

Winter: Even though the sky is dark but still there is light behind darkness, so it’s not completely hopeless; even if little grass are forced to bend down by snow, but they will rise their heads higher in the coming spring. Winter is the time to rest with ease and prepare self for the next awakening of life circle.

The change of four seasons means the change in life, two constract energies rotate but are not disappearing when we are able to keep the warmth and hopeful energy from within.
mei lan hsiao

There is time to awaken, time to joy, time to adapt and time to rest; needless for surprise or stress out. The taller and stronger you want to become, then grow your roots deeeper and enhance the strength from within.

What can we learn from tea?

On 13/08/2022

What can we learn from tea?

Tea leaf has limit in size, tea cup has limit in capacity
the learning through tea in life is unlimited
Mei Lan hsiao

What we can learn are more than various types of tea drinking or performing of various tea arts or tea ceremonies.

Tea leaf.has limit in size, tea cup has limit in capacity per cup, but the learning through tea in life is unlimited.

When we are willing to open our minds and taking actions to implement basic morals in life through tea, it’s not difficult to enhance the learning by doing to improve the living quality:

learn to respect to the Nature, community and the planet
learn to respect and accept the own responsibilities with clear consciousness
learn the values of humanity with respect to those hard working nameless people
learn what and how to practice of equality without preconceived judgement
learn to appreciate from heart to self, learn to show earnest respect to others and to the world
learn when and how to lay down egoism, enjoy and appreciate the simplicity and tranquility from the moment
learn to put priority right by recognizing own responsibilities to the Nature, people, cultures and the world.

Of course there are more than the list, perhaps you can add on some based on your learning journey with tea. Let the carpet of tea full of kindness, love, respect and harmony.

#lifetimelearning #love #respect #people #kindness #learning #culture #quality #equality #ecobalance #earnest #tranquality #purification

©Mei Lan Hsiao, Belgium Chinese Tea Culture Association, Antwerp, Belgium 13/8/2022

Tea Tree & Environment Determine Tea Quality

On 31/07/2022

In Oolong

Among 6+1 tea types, oolong tea only has about 1000 years of history, it is not same as fine quality green/white/yellow or golden tippy black tea that mainly from small sized tea leaf and it does not rushing out for tea picking in the early spring. Oolong tea does have specific requirements for quality from fully opened mid-sized tea leaves that picked in the early May.

The health of tea Tree and Eco Blanced biological growing environment determine the basic quality in flavour/s and taste of tea.
Mei Lan hsiao, chinese tea master

The long lasting and complex multiple layers of aroma probably is the most unique charachter you will notice from Oolong tea, and the aroma is varied from region to region. If you drink a bubble of oolong tea, the first few flushes have obvious floral and fruity aromas and other natural tea aromas, but the next few flushes suddenly lose the aroma, then pay attention, you may buy tea with added.

If the oolong tea you drink only in the first 1 or 2 flushes has obvious floral or fruity aroma, afterwards aroma note drops sharply and the taste become flat and dull, thenn the chance that Oolong tea you bought probably with additive aroma substance is big.

The production for traditional roasted Oolong takes few months to complete after the picking. And, it is suggested to have patience for at least 6 months till the firing Yang energy cools down。

Few unique points to bear in mind for Eco quality traditional roasted oolong:

Tea garden is located in a protected Nature, far from any human and/or industrial pollution sources
Adapt nature fertilization, remove grass manually （preferrably tea farmers also respect and allow grass completes its life cycle）, free from pesticides.
In the region there are traces of wild live stock and insects that follow the nature laws of biological balance
Only pick once in Spring per year, tea trees are allowed to have well recovery after picking
The mao cha (tea after the basic production) will go through several times repeatedly roasting by experienced fire master.
The yearly harvest quantity is limited

There is no word to describe the emotional touch inside when standing in a tea garden. There is no better way to make a fine closure for a day with extraordinary taste of eco tea in this hot summer day.

排毒

In 中文博客

许多人，不分中外，近来对排毒这两个字非常敏感, 对任何标榜排毒的产品都有兴趣购买. 然而有效排毒需要留意一天如何适度调整生活饮食与养生方式，如何有用心保持平衡，而不是靠一个“神奇”产品去排毒。

为了你的美貌，为了你的健康，留意正确掌握适人、适时、适当的排毒方法是有绝对必要的。

我们需要的是提升自我认知适当调整生活态度以及实际生活方法

德行定终生

In 中文博客

今天在油管上面看到台湾曾仕强教授，生前录的一个影片，影片之中他提到五个字，其中含义真的很值得我们好好的反思:

德行（xing）定终生

在中国历史巨轮下，我们中国人自幼就不断的被教导基本道德的重要性。中国社会以及中华文化之所以能够如水穿石般的传承下来，依旧起因就在我们文化里面强调知礼、行义、遵廉、知耻的社会行为规范。

四维八德是我们中华文化中传统的基础。 “四维”是出于齐国管仲的《管子》一书，该书把【礼、义、廉、耻】称为国之“四维”。国父孙中山先生在民族主义第六讲中特别倡导【忠、孝、仁、爱、信、义、和、平】为“八德”。

有些父母，或许是因为媚外心节，或许是被误导，以为国外的教育水平比国内好，而实不知的是，国外从幼儿园到大学的教育体制里面，由于被西方所谓自由浪漫主义的侵蚀，所以在学校，在社会发展中常见的是“自我”而不是“利他”的道德价值观，细究其因，问题就出在缺乏对礼义廉耻基本教养的重视。

负责任的父母想教导孩子之前，应该先把自己教好，先从家庭生活教养行为中落实知行合一。想要孩子能够有好的学习成长，那么是否父母应该先展示他们好学的精神以及真正的落实“活到老，学到老”的学习行为呢？

Lesson for parents

今天在看小说的时候，作者写的这一段（我略微添油加醋了一点），真的是很值得我们身为父母的好好的学习。

大雁只有多飞翔，翅膀才会硬实，才能经得住千里迁徙。

老虎在成为百兽之王前，要先离开父母，独自去闯荡去捕猎，才能历练出锋利的猛爪和可以撕裂万物的利齿。

不管我们有多爱孩子，但是孩子不是我们的财产; 是我们生命的延续，但是他们有他们的世界去开创，有自己的路要走，有他们的天空需要他们展翅翱翔。

Filial Piety

From an ancient Chinese idom we learned the utmost kindness begins with filial piety。百善孝为先（bǎi shàn xiào wéi xiān）

The sustainable leadereship style is in question if one does know its meaning, actually the reason is quite simple:

How can you expect someone who honestly loyal and respectful if s/he does not even show the same attitude to respect her/his own moral ‘responsibility” to her/his parents?

How can you expect someone know how to behave as a team member if s/he does not even has a brother or sister? or does not know the respect to her/his elder brothers/sisters and kindness to her/his younger brothers/sisters?

“三”的含义