Hao He

This is a Shu Pu-erh tea cake named Hao He, meaning “Delicious” in Chinese. Interestingly, Chinese doesn’t have a direct word for “delicious”; it often uses the character 好 (Hao), meaning “good,” followed by the specific quality. For instance, 好吃 (Hao Chi) means “good to eat,” 好香 (Hao Xiang) is “good aroma,” and, naturally, 好喝 (Hao He) is “good to drink.” Chinese, with its homophones, allows for playful word games. For example, replacing the character for “drink” (喝, He) with 和 (He), meaning “harmony” or “peace,” maintains the same pronunciation but changes the meaning drastically to bringing harmony, peace, or universal balance. This linguistic flexibility mirrors the profound nature of the Chinese consciousness, allowing one word to point to another.

As for this tea, it’s harvested from Bu Lan Shan mountain, presenting a stern, collected, powerful character that unexpectedly unfolds with sweetness and playfulness. Described by a friend as akin to a noble husband with a dignified posture, expressing aspirations for higher thoughts. Suddenly, this stern warrior of spirit playfully winks at you, revealing a delicate flower hidden in his pocket. The tea cake is thoughtfully packaged in a convenient box, addressing the challenge of dealing with Pu-erh cakes. Sturdy plastic ensures visibility without any crumbs, making it suitable for display, storage, or gifting. In summary, it embodies complete Hao He. The weight of the cake is 357 grams.