Where there are mountains, there are tourists

“Where there are mountains, there are tourists; Where there are tourists, there is tea” is written on the couplets in “Yun-wu-ling-cha-you Leisure Farm” in Sanwan, Miaoli. The two sentences fully describe Hakka hospitality and their lifestyle.
Immigrants in the early times had rice as their staple, so the plains were the battlegrounds. There are two grounds for the majority of Hakka people resides on mountain hills, one is that Hakka people came to Taiwan later than Hoklo people and its number was fewer, hence they were forced to live on the barren hills; the other is the Hoklo and Hakka immigrants chose the terrains similar to where they were from to build their hometowns and lifestyles, so it has nothing to do with order of arrival or power.

No matter which saying is true, the current situation is that the living area of Hakka people overlaps with Taiwan Route 3, traditionally called “Inner Mountain Highway”, especially in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli, from Pingzheng, Longtan, Guanxi in Taoyuan, through Henshan, Zhutong, Beipu, Ermei in Hsinchu and Toufen, Sanwan, Nanzhuang, Shitan, Dahu, Zhuolan in Miaoli till Dongshi, Shigang, Hsinshe in Taichung; the route is more than 100 km long along the edge of mountainous area with views of tea gardens, bamboo forests or hurtling heavy motorcycles. In recent years, it is even called “Taiwan Romantic Route 3”.
Sanwan in Miaoli is not as broad as Jianan Plain or Changhua Plain so that it cannot produce rice in large scale; however, the clime in mountains and the varied soils as well as the hard working Hakka people make the produce from the barren hills very diverse, including grass jelly in Guanxi, persimmon cake in Xinpu, Asian pear in Sanwan, Jujube in Gongguan, Strawberry in Dahu, Grape in Zhuolan, chrysanthemum in Tungluo, as well as camphor, citrus, tung flowers and pottery arts here and there, a variety of floral scents, fruity fragrances, and tea aroma according to four seasons; scene by scene, district by district, there are numerous wonders.

Among the towns, Sanwan in Miaoli represents Hakka character the best Sanwan, on the most north end of Miaoli, closely connected with Beipu and Ermei in Hsinchu. It is a town with around 6000 residents, 99% of them are Hakka.
The name of Sanwan came from its geological location. Zhonggang River originated from Mt. Luchang winds through mountains and passes the tribes in Neiwan and Erwan; here is “the 3rd bending corner/Sanwan” along Zhonggang River, that is how it gets the name.
Immigrants in early times consider this location barren and closed to the indigenous people’s hunting ground; therefore, it was not ideal to settle down. Not until the Hakka immigrants moved in and found this corner a fertile alluvial and named this place “Corner of Belly Cover”. Not that this land is sexy, but the terrain looks like the money pouch people carried in the old days.

This money pouch didn’t let residents in Sanwan down. The geological location with mountains and rivers as well as the irrigation from Dam Yongheshan contribute to multiple agricultural produce. The curvy mountains and winding rivers make a picturesque scenery and such a bounty brings smiles to the residents in Sanwan. So it won the first place of “The Most Friendly Town”, an online voting activity, among 319 towns in Taiwan in 2005.
In the past when tourists came to Miaoli, they headed to Nanzhuang or Dahu, but Sanwan was rarely on their agenda. The fact is that the bountiful water resources and proper climate conditions make Sanwan best represent Hakka culture. Hakka produce here such as citrus tea, Oriental Beauty tea, tea seed oil, Hakka dishes, Sanwan pear, green bamboo shoots and citrus in winter are all famous. Together with the popular Bald Cypress attraction, Sanwan becomes a scenic spot that draws plenty of tourists.

Coming to Sanwan, you cannot miss the citrus tea in “Yunwuilngchayou Leisure Farm”. Citrus tea was made in old days when Hakka people put the citrus that doesn’t perish easily on the deity table during lunar new year, and after the holidays they were unwilling to throw the fruits away so they scooped out the pulp and mixed it with kumquat, bergamot, lemon and tea leaves before stuffing all back to the rind. Then steam and dry it for 9 times, respectively, and voila, the durable citrus tea is done.
Citrus tea used to be the beverage Hakka people drank at home in old days. In recent years, its price ups continuously since time is the best flavor enhancer, “One-Year Tea, Three-Year Medicine, 7-Year Treasure, and it turns gold in 30 years.” As long as the storage condition is right with proper temperature and environment, the flavor of citrus tea will get better. Like Puerh tea, both are compressed. Just pry a small block into the boiling water, the fruit acid is expressed in multiple tastes and its sweetness is very tempting.
At Yunwulinchayou Leisure Farm, tourists can see the whole process of making citrus tea, from scooping out the pulps, stuffing the fillings, steaming and roasting and shape forming. That quaint environment, the fruity scent in the air and the smiley faces welcoming guests and tourists, were it not for the roasting machines and the inscribed boards indicating awards they received, the atmosphere here really brought us back to the Hakka villages of the old times.

Oriental Beauty from Yongheshan Tea Factory is another product represents Sanwan.
The beauty of Oriental Beauty is its unique fruity and honey scent from bites by Jacobiasca formosana. 600g of Oriental Beauty costs at least NT$3,000, and quality ones can easily be more than NT10,000. Good Oriental Beauty has a touch of “Champagne Scent”. And like champagne, it has fruity aroma and tastes slight sweet.
If you don’t want to spend big money, a better way is to buy the oriental beauty costs NT3,000 or NT5,000 per 600g. Don’t make tea right away and leave it for at least half a year so to get its stronger honey scent. If leave it for more than 5 years, it usually smells champagne, especially when it is made by cold water and infused with carbon dioxide before pouring into the goblet and it looks like champagne with fruity and floral scents.

The main reason Oriental Beauty is expensive is it takes the tender tips bitten by Jacobiasca formosana. These tiny sprouts are too small to have machines or knives on fingers to harvest, hence, the work has to be done manually. 2,400g of fresh leaves can only be 600g of tea. Generally, a Oolong tea garden hires 20 labors who can pick 90kg of Oolong a day but with the same manpower, only 24kg of Oriental Beauty. Short production period, low quantity and high labor costs all up the cost of this tea.
Usually sea salt farmers dare not expect a good harvest which is contributed to the torching sun of that year. Their fortunes are others’ sufferings. Tea farmers of Oriental Beauty feel the same. The more humid and sultry it is, the better Jacobiasca formosana’s reproduction, and the uglier the tea leaves, the better harvest tea farmers have. But that means insect infestations to other farmers. Tea farmers of Oriental Beauty have their own living philosophy and aesthetics.

Sanwan in winter is full of citruses, “Four Seasons Valley” was founded by a family of 2 generations who moved here from Taipei more than a decade ago. They labor to grow citruses and also rest themselves to lead a life in sound health. Their efforts make the farm lush with diverse plants. Their produce includes a variety of citruses and tourists can pick the fruits and eat the fresh fruits on the hillside.
Coming to Sanwan in winter, tourists can also go to “Golden-Flower Tea Oil Production” nearby Dam Yongheshan to learn how to make “Oriental Olive Oil” or be an Instagram model in the uncharted scenic spot with bald cypresses, or go to Hakka restaurants to relish local savory dishes. It is a good place for a one day trip.

To make it easier for tourists to experience Taiwan Romantic Route 3, and also enable agencies to organize tours, Taiwan Leisure Farm Development Association sent staff to visit this area covering Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli, and take the four seasons into consideration to present 32 itineraries along Taiwan Romantic Route 3.
These itineraries lead to peach or plum picking & firefly watching, mushroom harvest in the mountains, and hydrangea or tung flower watching in May during spring; clusters of grapes, golden day lilies and Cassia fistula or sweet pears in summer; or chrysanthemum blossoms, ripen persimmons, and tasty Chinese mesona in autumn; and citrus tea tasting in Sanwan, citrus picking, ginger tasting, Hakka styled pounded tea, strawberry picking in Dahu or the cherry blossoms over the mountain tops in winter.
Link to the 32 itineraries on Taiwan Romantic Route 3 https://goo.gl/YF4CQW