For more than a decade Taiwanese tea maker Hsu Kuo-an has cultivated premium ancient tree tea in northern Vietnam, applying Taiwanese tea-making techniques to wide acclaim as a master of the craft in Vietnam.
十多年來，台灣茶人徐國安在越南北部栽培高品質的古樹茶，並將台灣製茶技術引入當地，廣受好評，在越南被視為古樹茶領域的製茶大師。
It is a six-hour drive north from Hanoi to Hà An Trà, Hsu’s tea production base, tucked into the serene mountains of Hoàng Su Phì.
從河內一路向北行車約六小時，便可抵達徐國安的「河安茶」製茶廠，隱身於黃樹皮縣寧靜的群山之中。
The area is famous for its rare ancient tree tea and is home to numerous ethnic minorities, including the Tày, Nùng, Dao and Dao Đen. About half of local residents recognize the name “Hà An Trà,” or its founder, who they call “Uncle An.”
當地以珍稀的古樹茶聞名，也是岱依族、儂族、瑤族與黑瑤族等多個少數民族的聚居地。約有一半的居民聽過「河安茶」這個名字，或其創辦人─他們口中的「安叔叔」。
The reference is to Hsu, the founder of Hà An Trà and a descendant of a tea-producing family from Miaoli County in Taiwan.
「安叔叔」指的正是河安茶的創辦人徐國安，他出身於台灣苗栗縣的製茶世家。
Although the Hà An Trà brand of tea is not sold in retail shops and is never advertised, Vietnamese artists, politicians, business figures and foreign ambassadors rush to place orders for its limited offerings.
儘管河安茶從未在零售通路販售，也不曾對外宣傳，越南的藝術家、政治人物、企業界人士以及外國大使仍爭相預訂其限量出產的茶品。
Becoming a renowned ancient tree tea maker
成名之路
Hsu learned how to make tea from his family at a very young age, he told CNA during a recent interview.
徐國安近日接受中央社訪問時表示，他自幼便向家人學習製茶技藝。
He said that he discovered ancient tree tea in 2011, when a local Vietnamese politician he met at the first Vietnam International Tea Show invited him to view ancient tea trees and try the tea produced from them.
他說，他在2011年首屆越南國際茶展上結識的一名越南地方政治人物，對方邀請他前往探訪古茶樹並品嘗其所製的茶，這是他首次接觸到古樹茶。
“It was so pure, out of the original ecosystem,” he recalled. “I loved it so much that I stayed.”
「那種茶非常乾淨，是原生態的茶」，他回憶道，「我非常喜愛，因此留了下來」。
Unlike conventional tea farms, where leaves are harvested from shrubs, ancient tree tea comes from forest trees that are more than a century old. Hsu’s cloud-shrouded groves of wild tea trees thrive on rocky terrain at elevations close to 2,400 meters deep in the mountains.
不同於一般茶園從灌木採葉，古樹茶來自樹齡逾百年的森林茶樹。徐國安的野生茶樹群生長在海拔接近2,400公尺的高山深處，終年雲霧繚繞，立於崎嶇的岩石地形之上。
Ref lecting on his journey, he said, “I can’t remember how I survived ... When I first arrived, there wasn’t even a path. Even now, you still need 20 minutes in a car, four hours on a scooter -- all on rocky roads, crossing over 20 streams, to get there.”
顧這段歷程，他說：「我都不記得自己是怎麼撐過來的⋯⋯剛來的時候，連一條路都沒有。就算現在，也得先開車20分鐘，再騎機車四個小時，全程都是石子路，還要跨越二十多條溪流，才能抵達。」
“However, you cannot find the same precious tea anywhere else on earth,” he said, “not even in Taiwan.”
「但這樣珍貴的茶，在世界任何其他地方都找不到」，他說，「就連台灣也沒有」。
Local ethnic minorities harvested and drank the tea from wild tea trees on their own and referred to it as “celestial tea.” Although it is pure and healthy, its original taste was bitter and lacked aroma, making it difficult to sell, according to Hsu.
當地少數民族長期自行採摘並飲用野生茶樹的茶葉，稱其為「仙茶」。徐國安指出，雖然這種茶純淨又健康，但原始風味苦澀、香氣不足，並不好賣。
A local tea lover called A-Kuang told CNA that Hsu tried countless times to tame the bitterness of ancient tree tea. “He is the first in Vietnam to do so,” he added.
一名越南茶友阿光向中央社表示，徐國安曾嘗試控制古樹茶的苦味無數次才找到方法，「他是越南第一個做到這件事的人」。
Passing down skills
技藝的傳承
Without prior experience, Hsu struggled so much with production that he was often reduced to tears of frustration. Drawing on his family’s tea-making experience, he introduced Taiwanese tea-making processes to improve quality.
由於先前並沒有製作古樹茶的經驗，徐國安在 過程中屢遭挫折，甚至曾因挫敗而落淚。他憑藉家 族累積的製茶經驗，引入台灣製茶流程，逐步提升 茶葉品質。
“If it were not for my family’s experience producing Oriental Beauty Oolong, I would have achieved nothing today,” he said.
他說：「如果沒有台灣家族做東方美人茶的經驗，我今天是不可能在這裡有一點點成績的。」
By bringing Taiwan’s tea-making techniques to Vietnam, Hsu became a pioneer ancient tree tea maker in the country.
透過將台灣製茶技術帶進越南，徐國安成為當地古樹茶製作的先驅。
Hsu notes that when he makes tea, he strives to balance natural temperature, humidity and weather, following the rhythms of nature. “When brewing tea, fresh leaves, skilled hands and machinery must work together to create the perfect flavor.”
徐國安指出，製茶時他力求在溫度、濕度與天氣之間取得平衡，順應自然節奏。「做茶時，茶菁、人、機器，三者須合一，才能做出真正好味道」。
Before his mother passed away, she reminded him that tea makers should never be satisfied with the taste of their own tea. “Only when a customer comes back to buy it again,” she said, “can you be happy for a moment.”
母親過世前曾叮囑徐國安，製茶人永遠不該滿足於自己做出的茶。「只有當客人再次回來購買時」，她說，「你才能稍微開心一下」。
Hsu said he never forgets her words and has carried them with him ever since. “I aspire to uphold the spirit of Taiwanese tea makers and produce fine Vietnamese ancient tree tea and wild mountain tea,” he said.
徐國安表示，他始終牢記母親的話，並一路帶在心中。「一直希望秉持台灣做茶的精神，也把越南的古樹茶以及野生山茶做出好味道」，他說。
Taiwan’s advantage in tea production is innovation, Hsu said, adding that while Vietnam has fertile soil, it lacks know-how. He sees potential for collaboration between the two countries, as Taiwan could explore new production processes, techniques and packaging.
徐國安指出，台灣在茶葉生產上的優勢在於創新，而越南雖擁有肥沃的土地，卻欠缺技術。他認為台越之間具備合作潛力，台灣可協助探索新的製程、技術與包裝方式。
Tram Tran, a local sommelier, said she finds more joy in drinking Hsu’s Hà An Trà than other teas because she knows where it comes from and how it was made. “There’s passion in his tea,” she said.
當地侍茶師陳氏簪表示，相較其他茶品，她更享受品飲徐國安的河安茶，因為她清楚其來源與製作方式。「茶中有他的熱忱」，她說。
Taiwan is one of the top tea-producing countries with a rich history. “I am glad a Taiwanese expert has introduced Taiwan’s skills and machinery to improve local products,” she added.
台灣是全球重要的產茶國之一，擁有深厚的製茶歷史。她補充道：「很幸運這裡有位台灣人，帶來台灣的技術與機器，結合當地產品製作好茶。」
字詞解釋
premium（形容詞）→高級的。例句：The tech company is willing to pay a premium to recruit the best software engineers in the industry. 這家科技公司願意支付高薪來招募業界頂尖的軟體工程師。
acclaim（名詞）→稱讚。例句：The young director’s debut film received critical acclaim at the international film festival. 這名年輕導演的處女作在國際電影節上獲得了影評界的一致好評。
tuck（動 詞）→ 把 ⋯⋯ 塞 進。例句：She carefully tucked the letter into her pocket so that it wouldn’t get lost. 她小心翼翼地將信塞進口袋裡，以免弄丟。
shroud（動詞）→覆蓋。例句：The mountain peaks were shrouded in thick mist, making it impossible for the hikers to see the view. 山頂被濃霧籠罩，使得登山客無法看到風景。
celestial（形容詞）→天空的。例句：Ancient sailors used to navigate the open seas by observing celestial bodies like the North Star. 古代的水手常藉由觀測像北極星這樣的天體在公海上航行。
aspire（動詞）→渴望。例句：Many young athletes aspire to represent their country in the Olympic Games one day. 許多年輕的運動員都渴望有一天能代表國家參加奧運會。
＊看單篇不過癮？《全球中央》紙本雜誌、電子雜誌全面特價中。
＊訂閱紙本雜誌《全球中央訂購單》
＊實體雜誌銷售：7-ELEVEn. 、誠品書店
＊電子雜誌銷售平台：中央社電子書城、亞馬遜書城、Google Play圖書、凌網電子書、華藝電子書、Hami書城、KOBO、博客來電子書、讀墨電子書、讀冊生活電子書城、BOOK☆WALKER、聯合讀書吧、Kono電子雜誌、momo購物網等
