Van Chan Commune (formerly Suoi Giang Commune) - a highland area of Lao Cai province has long been famous for its year-round fresh climate and hundreds of years old Shan Tuyet tea trees. At an altitude of nearly 1,400m above sea level, this place is considered "Sa Pa of Yen Bai " (now Lao Cai) with white mist covering the mountains, pure air and special soil, which are ideal conditions for producing the most delicious tea varieties.
The story goes that, in the early days of the land's founding, a fairy sowed seeds in this mountainous region, the last seeds were precious medicinal plants, germinating into Shan Tuyet tea trees covered in white dew every morning. To date, the ancient tea tree over 400 years old in Suoi Giang is ranked as one of the six ancestral tea trees of the world , a source of pride not only for the Mong people, but also for the entire tea land of Vietnam.
However, like many other highland agricultural products, Suoi Giang tea had a long time struggling with output, the product was valuable but could not find a place in the market. Everything began to change when Mr. Dao Duc Hieu - a lecturer in the Marketing Department of Foreign Trade University left the city, left the podium, brought with him his passion for tea and determination to build a brand from the top of Suoi Giang mountain.
After nearly two decades of learning about tea production and processing in Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand, etc., Mr. Hieu chose to return to Vietnam and start from scratch, in a land that is still poor but rich in potential: Suoi Giang. For him, each ancient tea tree is a living heritage. And his mission is to revive and enhance the value of that heritage with modern thinking, processing technology and unique storytelling.
Talking to reporters of Cong Thuong Newspaper, Mr. Dao Duc Hieu - Director of Suoi Giang Eco-tourism Cooperative shared: "A journey of a thousand miles always begins with a single step. Knowing that this journey still has many hardships, but if you don't take the step, how will you get there?"
A journey of a thousand miles always begins with a single step. Knowing that this journey is full of hardships, how can we get there if we don't take the first step?
His passion for ancient tea trees makes his story about tea trees seem to never end. He said that Suoi Giang tea - according to Japanese experts - even meets more stringent criteria than their own. Because it is a completely natural tea variety, grown in an environment without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or intensive farming techniques. Each tea bud is picked from an ancient tree over 300 years old, at an altitude of over 1,000m, and after drying, it still retains its smooth snow fur. That white color is the name Shan Tuyet.
Grasping the world's green - organic trend, the Sugi Tea brand was born with the motto: clean from the root, sustainable from production to consumption. The entire production process of Suoi Giang Ecotourism Cooperative does not use chemicals, ensures food hygiene and safety and especially respects the native natural ecosystem.
In 2019, Mr. Hieu expanded his vision by designing the Suoi Giang Tea Cultural Space, turning tea into a part of the cultural experience: from the tea set, the way of making tea, to the way of telling the story of the history of tea trees, the beauty in the daily life of the Mong people. There, each sip of tea is not only a taste, but also knowledge and emotion. The tea packaging has indigenous motifs, the red flag with a yellow star and the words "Teabrand in Vietnam" - a simple but proud brand statement. This is the way for Suoi Giang tea to convey the message of culture, to convey the message of Vietnamese values, not simply an agricultural product but also a story, national pride.
To date, four product lines under the Dai Lao Vuong Tra brand, including Hoang Tra, Hong Tra, Bach Tra and Diep Tra, have all achieved provincial-level 4-star OCOP certification. The product is also on the path to achieving national 5-star OCOP certification, with full geographical indication records, growing area codes, ECOCERT, European ORGANIC, and ISO production standards, becoming a rare tea product with a "passport" to 26 countries and territories around the world.
Mr. Hieu proudly shared: “Shan Tuyet Suoi Giang tea has always been ranked at the top of the tea list and is called “five extreme” tea: “extremely hard” - when growing and harvesting, “extremely clean” - due to wild natural climate conditions, “extremely rare” - low yield, “extremely delicious” - aromatic, rich in flavor and “extremely expensive”.
Although Suoi Giang is not the only place with ancient tea trees, in terms of both quantity and age, it is unmatched. Thanks to Shan Tuyet tea trees, more than 97% of Suoi Giang's population are Mong people. Previously, people mainly lived on small-scale farming, manual labor, unstable income, and lacked orientation for commodity production. Linking Shan Tuyet tea with the OCOP brand and indigenous culture not only creates economic value but also opens up a comprehensive ecosystem for on-site development.
On the mountain top, infrastructure conditions are limited and technology access is difficult, but Mr. Hieu's cooperative has applied a "hands-on" approach. He directly guides people in techniques for harvesting, preserving, and processing clean tea, thereby gradually changing farming habits and raising awareness of sustainable production.
The results are clearly visible: people have more stable income, no need to leave their hometown to work far away; young people love the tea profession, want to stay attached to the land of their birth. Moreover, the cooperative also organizes tea culture classes for Mong children - where they learn about the origin of tea trees, how to make clean tea and the pride of their people. Tea, from being a commercial product, has now become a cultural symbol, a tool for community education.
“To change the indigenous Mong people’s way of making tea, the best way is to teach young people, people of working age, so that after finishing the course, each student can be a propagandist on how to make clean, organic tea for their own family,” said Mr. Hieu.
Every year, tens of thousands of tourists come to Suoi Giang to hunt clouds, admire ancient tea trees, enjoy Shan Tuyet tea and explore Mong culture. These experiences not only spread the value of sustainable tourism, but also help people have more livelihoods from homestay services, tour guides, ethnic cuisine, etc.
Suoi Giang tea products have been selected as foreign gifts of Lao Cai province in political and diplomatic events, domestic and international fairs. Not only that, the products are also introduced in national tea ceremonies, high-level receptions, investment promotion seminars, where each tea leaf tells the cultural story of a land.
Currently, Suoi Giang Cooperative's tea products are present in many high-end distribution systems: 5-star hotels, international airports, high-end gift shop chains, e-commerce platforms and especially cross-border platforms such as Alibaba and Amazon. Although the output is still modest, being present on major platforms is an important step in affirming the position of Vietnamese agricultural products in the global market.
To help Suoi Giang tea go further, Lao Cai province has directed departments, agencies and sectors to actively use the product as a local identity image. This is not only a trade promotion strategy, but also a way to build a local image through typical products, where each tea package is a "cultural ambassador" conveying spirit and identity.
Suoi Giang Tea is no longer just a local specialty. It is a symbol of the revival of rural mountainous areas, the success of the OCOP model associated with indigenous culture, and a smooth combination of agricultural economy, cultural industry and digital transformation.
With the vision, passion and courage of people like Mr. Dao Duc Hieu, along with the support of local authorities and indigenous people, Shan Tuyet Suoi Giang tea products are writing a new story: from a tea bud on a wild mountain top to becoming a representative of Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market, bringing the flavor of the mountains and forests, the Mong identity and Vietnamese pride to all five continents.
From the misty mountain top, the ancient Shan Tuyet tea buds, white as if covered in early morning snow, through the diligent hands of the Mong people, have transformed into pure cups of tea, infused with the scent of heaven and earth. Each tea leaf, each cup of clear water not only encapsulates the essence of the land, air, and people, but also contains a philosophy of enduring life of the community in the deep forests and mountains.
In the echoes of the Mong flute, in the misty morning light, Suoi Giang is no longer a poor, remote land, but has become a cultural destination, an indigenous agricultural brand that is affirming its name on the world map. Dreams no longer lie still on the mountainside. The ancient tea buds have traveled far, very far, not only to European countries, but also to the hearts of those who cherish the beauty of their homeland's products. From there, a brighter future is quietly sprouting among the layers of clouds and the green of ancient tea.
Source: https://congthuong.vn/longform-che-suoi-giang-tu-bau-vat-tren-dinh-nui-den-bieu-tuong-van-hoa-411180.html
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