Early morning on the tea hills

Early in the summer, after breakfast, I sip a cup of hot tea, taking the opportunity to enjoy the feeling of relaxation after a busy day. The cup of tea has a honey-colored color, with a gentle aroma. Sipping the tea, my spirit seems to be filled with energy for the new day. I suddenly think, I don't know since when, in every Vietnamese family, from the countryside to the city, there is an indispensable teapot - a gift - a simple drink that makes people's hearts warm, and people seem to be closer.

Sunshine on the tea fields.

When it comes to tea, everyone probably thinks of Thai Nguyen - a land blessed by nature with soil and climate, creating a special tea quality. Tea is not only a drink but also a bridge for conversation between family members. Tea to entertain guests, tea to welcome friends, tea is present at weddings, engagements, festivals, etc.

Thanks to a cup of tea, the conversation is longer, the work goes more smoothly and the friendship is more attached. For a long time, tea has become an elegant gift of every family, every region in our country.

The gently sloping tea hills shaped like upside-down bowls, one after another, like soft green waves, are the tea regions in the midland mountains of my hometown, Thai Nguyen. Every morning, the entire tea hill wakes up, thousands of young, dew-covered tea buds, sparkling in the dawn light, welcoming the new day. Taking care of and cherishing the fresh green tea buds, and the fragrant, flavorful cups of tea are the women and mothers - the farmers who work hard day and night, devoting all their love to the tea trees of their homeland.

After months of diligently tending each tea tree like taking care of a child, the hands of the cultivator carefully and skillfully pick each bud and each leaf. Picking tea is an art. Tea spikes only pick one bud, tea hooks pick one bud, two leaves, etc. If there is any deviation, the tea flavor will not be complete.

I still remember the first days as a daughter-in-law, my mother-in-law had to carefully guide me on how to pick. At first, I was clumsy and awkward, so I picked very slowly. Meanwhile, my mother and sister-in-law had the nimble hands of professional tea makers.

After being picked, the tea is spread out to dry in the wind before being roasted, followed by the kneading and drying process. In the past, there were no machines to assist, so everything was done by hand, so roasting a batch of tea took a lot of time and effort.

My mother and sister-in-law often stay up very late to dry the picked tea. My mother said: The picked tea must be dried the same day, if left until the next day, it will be spoiled, and the tea will not be as delicious when brewed. When the night falls, it is quiet, and every house is in a deep sleep, then the dried tea leaves will turn white and give off their fragrance. Grabbing a handful of tea in my hand and admiring it, I see joy shining in my mother's wrinkled eyes.

Nowadays, Thai Nguyen tea is not only kept in sacks, plastic bags and tied with banana strings and bamboo strips like before. Tea is divided into small pieces with suitable weight, carefully and meticulously vacuum-sealed. Tea packages have delicate and beautiful designs; with clear traceability, so customers have many choices.

When he was alive, my grandfather loved tea. Tea was a daily drink for him. To prepare a good pot of tea, every morning, my grandfather had the habit of washing the teapot and cups thoroughly by hand, then going to the garden in front of the house to pick small, pretty jasmine flowers like buttons, pure white, sweet and fragrant, and placing them in each cup upside down. The cup of tea mixed with the scent of jasmine made the soul feel open and relaxed.

Thanks to my grandmother's diligent and skillful hands, my grandfather could always leisurely enjoy the most delicious pots of tea. My grandparents had a small hill behind the house where they planted tea. The tea variety was grown from seeds. The plants were strong and resilient.

My grandmother took care of each tree, branch and leaf; weeded, fertilized, and caught insects. Each movement was slow and careful. Not in vain for the caretaker, the rough, gray-brown tea trees that looked old and dry sprouted new, fresh green buds.

In retirement, my grandfather had a few old friends who often came to visit, chatting morning and evening over a pot of tea. Everyone praised my grandmother for making tea so skillfully. The old friends slowly sipped their tea as if to enjoy the taste of heaven and earth, leisurely and carefree. The joy of old age is simple and peaceful like that.

Green "music waves".

Under every roof, drinking tea is something very simple and familiar. Tea is present in daily life: from peaceful mornings, afternoons gathering in small shops, or even when alone, contemplating.

The ancients said: "A piece of betel leaves begins a conversation", but in today's lifestyle, I think "A cup of tea begins a conversation" is not wrong. Inviting each other to a cup of tea is not only polite but also shows respect and affection. A cup of tea, a few stories, cherishing the moments of relaxation and peace; a moment of quiet to reflect and contemplate what has passed and what is to come.

Throughout Vietnam, tea is available everywhere, but tea connoisseurs always mention Thai Nguyen tea as if it were a close friend. And Thai Nguyen tea is therefore present in every corner of the country. From sidewalk tea shops to tea tables in luxurious houses. Tea does not choose people or places; it does not distinguish between rich and poor, close and distant. A cup of tea is a cup of love, a cup of meaning; simple but imbued with love.

On holidays and weddings, a package of Thai Nguyen tea carries all the sincerity and subtlety. Not fussy or luxurious but imbued with the soul of the Vietnamese countryside, just like a natural thing, entwined and firmly attached to the cultural feature of the Vietnamese people for generations: the tea drinking culture. Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, a cup of tea is a moment of rest that helps us regain balance and find tranquility.

Being busy with the hustle and bustle out there, there are times when we want to find a place to calm down with a cup of tea, to feel more clearly the familiar simplicity but wrapped in many subtle things; and even the initial bitterness, if we persevere and are patient, we will feel the sweetness behind. Just like in life, only by experiencing the storms can we understand the value of peace.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202509/som-mai-tren-nhung-doi-che-bd90957/