Cloud tea is like life; life is learning, wisdom is cultivation.
Dear old friends, today let me tell you a somewhat heavy story — the fall of Tong Qing Hao. A tea house that had endured for over two hundred years finally closed its doors amid the nationalization wave after the founding of New China. This ending grieved many tea people.
After liberation, the state implemented the policy of nationalizing tea houses, and Tong Qing Hao, as a private tea house, was naturally affected. In that special historical period, many private enterprises faced the same fate. The old proprietor of Tong Qing Hao, however reluctant at heart, ultimately went with the tide of history. The bitterness behind that decision is something perhaps only those involved can truly understand. A family business that had run for over two hundred years, brought to a full stop just like that — one can imagine the feeling.
After its closure, Tong Qing Hao nominally ceased to exist, yet its tea-making craftsmanship and quality standards lived on in another form. Many masters who had worked at Tong Qing Hao later entered the state-owned tea factories, bringing their skills and experience to new posts. In a sense, the spirit of Tong Qing Hao never truly disappeared — it merged into a larger tea-industry system. What these old masters carried with them was not only technique, but an insistence on quality and a reverence for tea.
This history reminds me of a truth: worldly affairs are impermanent, but spirit can endure. It is like drinking tea — the leaves change with time, but the spirit of tea — tranquility, focus, savoring the present — is eternal. However the outside world changes, as long as we hold tea in our hearts, we can keep our composure. Over the years I have seen too many rises and falls; whenever I feel lost, I brew a pot of tea and savor it slowly, and my mind settles. When drinking tea, one learns to accept the changes of every infusion: the first infusion is clear and elegant, the middle ones mellow, the last sweet — each has its own unique beauty.
In recent years, I have heard that the descendants of Tong Qing Hao intend to revive the brand. If this truly comes to pass, it would be great news for the whole Pu-erh industry. For Tong Qing Hao represents not merely a tea house, but a glorious chapter of Yiwu Tea Mountain. The revival of an old name requires respect for tradition and insistence on quality — not simple commercial maneuvering.
Speaking of wellness, I believe the most precious thing about drinking tea is that it can quiet our minds. In this era of information explosion, our minds are often restless. Brewing a pot of tea, sipping slowly, reflecting slowly — this process itself is the best nourishment for the soul. Tong Qing Hao’s story teaches me that sometimes letting go is also a kind of wisdom.
Tea has grades high and low, but everyone may enjoy it regardless of status. The fall of Tong Qing Hao makes us cherish all the more those old names that still exist. Behind every traditional brand lie the devotion and wisdom of generations. Protecting them is protecting our cultural heritage.
The end of one era may be the beginning of another. Tong Qing Hao’s story, though tinged with sorrow, leaves behind a spirit and a craftsmanship that will continue to influence generation after generation of tea people.
Making friends through tea — please, have a cup.
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Author: Lam Sam (LamSam), the Old Tea Head
ZENTEA MANOR
Alliance Supply Chain Services Limited
www.zentea-shop.com
