11th Yueying Cup to Take Place in Kaohsiung on August 15, Collaborating with Agriculture Bureau to Promote Mountain Tea Culture and 'Filial Tea Offering' Tradition

The aroma of tea is flowing into the city, and tea culture is taking root! The '11th Yueying Cup National Tea Brewing Competition,' organized by the Moonlight River Cultural Creative Association, will take place on August 15 at the Grand Auditorium of Kaohsiung City Government's Fengshan Administrative Center. This year marks the first collaboration with the Kaohsiung City Government Agriculture Bureau, inviting 30 outstanding tea artists from across Taiwan to compete. For the first time, a children's division has been added to promote early tea art education.

Thirty tea masters will compete nationwide, with this year's theme centered on 'tea culture inheritance' and the core spirit of 'filial tea offering.' Through tea brewing, serving, and tea ceremony performances, the event aims to convey gratitude, filial piety, and life aesthetics. The organizers hope that through national tea art exchange, tea will become more than just a beverage—it will serve as a vital medium connecting family bonds, life education, and local culture.

Chen Po-Hsun,理事长 of the Moonlight River Cultural Creative Association and also a distinguished farmer in Kaohsiung, has long been dedicated to promoting Kaohsiung's mountain tea industry and tea culture. This year, the event uniquely highlights local characteristics by featuring mountain teas from Liugui and Meinong, allowing tea artists and the public to experience the distinctive tea varieties nurtured by Kaohsiung's mountainous regions, thereby enhancing the cultural and market value of local agricultural products.

Chen emphasizes that tea culture is not just about brewing techniques but also values the life attitudes of 'respect, tranquility, and purity.' By choosing 'filial tea offering' as this year's theme, the goal is to teach children respect and gratitude through a cup of tea and help younger generations rediscover the essence of tea culture, integrating traditional tea rituals into modern life.

Notably, this year's competition introduces a 'children's division' for the first time, encouraging young participants to engage with tea art and tea etiquette early on. The organizers point out that learning tea not only cultivates focus and aesthetic sense but also teaches patience, politeness, and interpersonal skills through the process of preparing utensils, brewing, and serving tea. They hope that through parent-child and school education, the flame of tea culture will be passed on to future generations.

On the afternoon of the event, a local tea culture promotion session will be held, where six tea artists from Liugui will brew and serve Liugui and Meinong mountain teas on-site, inviting the public to taste and experience the unique terroir flavors of Kaohsiung's mountain teas. By integrating tea art competitions with local tea industries, professional tea art, local agricultural products, and cultural heritage are interconnected.

The Kaohsiung City Government Agriculture Bureau states that the tea industry is not merely agricultural production but also embodies local culture, life aesthetics, and industrial development value. In recent years, the bureau has continuously supported Kaohsiung's distinguished farmers through brand building, quality improvement, and diverse marketing strategies, helping specialty agricultural products from Liugui, Meinong, and other areas gain greater consumer recognition.

The bureau notes that this collaboration with the Yueying Cup not only provides national exposure for Kaohsiung's mountain teas through a high-profile tea art competition but also deepens public understanding of local agricultural products through cultural promotion. The goal is to transform 'drinking tea' into a lifestyle that connects people to the land, supports agriculture, and experiences local culture.

The organizers emphasize that the '11th Yueying Cup National Tea Brewing Competition' will not only feature exciting tea art competitions but also offer Kaohsiung mountain tea tastings and cultural experiences. They welcome tea lovers from across Taiwan to visit the Grand Auditorium of Kaohsiung City Government's Fengshan Administrative Center on August 15 to experience the charm of tea aroma, tea art, and filial culture intertwined, making a single cup of tea a warm medium connecting generations and transmitting culture.