Chinese Tea Culture Reaches Frontline City in Eastern Ukraine; Alishan Oolong Tea Popular

A tea shop with a Chinese-language sign has appeared on the streets of Sloviansk, a frontline city in eastern Ukraine, selling Chinese tea products such as Pu-erh and Oolong, attracting local residents and stationed soldiers, and allowing tea culture to gradually take root in war-torn eastern Ukraine. "You can try the tangerine peel Pu-erh; this one is very popular with everyone," shop owner Tatiyana kindly recommends various tea bags. This tea shop on the corner has Chinese palace-style decorations on the exterior, Chinese knots hanging at the door, and the walls are written in Chinese with "Pu-erh Tea" and "Qizi Bing Tea." Tatiyana says that for many Ukrainians, Chinese tea is still a novel drink. Initially, the shop would include a small bag of tea leaves when customers bought coffee or offer direct tastings, hoping to let more people experience it. "We especially want to let male customers try it because many people drink a lot of energy drinks, so we tell them this is a plant-based energy source." She says that many people started buying regularly after trying it, understood the difference between raw and ripe Pu-erh, and even carried tea cakes while on duty. Customers in the shop include not only local residents but also soldiers who have moved into the city as the Donbas front has advanced. A man who wished to remain anonymous told CNA that Ukrainians used to be accustomed to adding sugar and snacks when drinking tea, but after coming into contact with Chinese tea culture, they began to understand the way of "drinking tea purely." He said he used to be accustomed to starting his day with coffee and cigarettes every morning, but after coming into contact with Chinese tea culture, he gradually became addicted to the process of brewing and tasting tea. "Now I eat breakfast first, then spend 30 minutes drinking tea. The whole rhythm has slowed down, and I can relax more." The shop sells green tea, black tea, jasmine, rose, and other Eastern and Western teas. For example, 100 grams of Alishan Oolong tea sells for 576 Hryvnia (about 408 NTD), which is not cheap. The shop also sells various tea sets and portable tea cakes. The glass cabinets display different Pu-erh tea bricks such as "Lao Tongzhi Tea Cake," "Gongting Pu-erh," and "Lao Ban Zhang," with prices ranging from about 200 to 1000 Hryvnia (about 140 to 700 NTD). Currently, the shop also sells functional teas that the owner claims help with sleep, stress relief, nerve stabilization, and blood pressure reduction, including GABA tea, Da Hong Pao, and Jasmine Dragon Pearls, with some tea leaves dating back to 1994. The Taiwanese GABA tea in the display case is currently sold out, indicating it is quite popular with locals. The habit of drinking tea in Ukraine dates back to the Russian Tsarist era. At that time, tea leaves were introduced from China, and because of the long transport distance, they were regarded as precious tributes. During the Soviet era, in order to promote self-sufficiency in tea leaves in various regions, a group of scientists from Georgia led the development of tea plantations in areas including the current Transcarpathia region of western Ukraine in 1949. After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Tatiyana decided to open a shop in Sloviansk. She said that at first, she only sold tea and coffee, but later, after coming into contact with Chinese tea culture through online videos, she began to study different tea varieties, brewing methods, and effects. Later, she met a merchant in Kharkiv who imported tea leaves from China and gradually established the current source of tea products. Operating a shop in a frontline city during the war is always accompanied by risks for Tatiyana. She said that the biggest challenge locally is not logistics, but frequent power and water outages. "We don't always have electricity, so we have prepared generators and voltage stabilizers." However, she pointed out that the current postal and transport systems are still operating, and the flow of goods has not been significantly affected. In Sloviansk, not far from the front line, the pressure of war still drifts in the air from time to time, but in this tea shop, people temporarily slow down, do not talk about politics or war, and exchange a moment of peace with a pot of hot tea.