Ms. Doan Soi Vang of Tan Cuong – The Keeper of the Simple and Authentic Soul of Thai Nguyen Tea
In the peaceful village of Soi Vang – an ancient tea-growing region of Tan Cuong – where a small stream babbles day and night and a cool breeze blows from the Cong River, lives a woman who has quietly devoted her life to green tea plants. Without fanfare or fuss, Ms. Doan – the owner of Phuc Doan Tea Farm – is still affectionately called by the locals as “the golden hand of Soi Vang”.
Born into a family with a long tradition of making Thai Nguyen tea, she grew up amidst the aroma of young rice, the sound of kitchen fans roasting tea, and early mornings tinged with cold mist. For her, the tea-making profession is not just a means of livelihood – it’s a part of her lifeblood, a spiritual habit deeply ingrained through the years.
A humble farmer, yet dedicated to every single strand of tea.
Ms. Doan doesn’t have the title of artisan on paper, but she is a tea artisan in the hearts of many tea connoisseurs. She has a small stature and a slow, Tan Cuong accent, but her hands are unusually nimble and precise.
After each harvest, she makes sure to process the tea leaves immediately to preserve their freshness and prevent the stems from turning dark. Although she uses machinery in some stages to reduce labor, she still directly controls the entire process – from moisture and curl to the “ripeness” of the leaves – entirely based on her more than 20 years of experience.
Anyone who has ever stood beside her in the tea roasting oven will see a very special concentration: she almost converses with the tea leaves. Looking at the color of the tea tells her if the heat is enough, touching it tells her what adjustments the batch of tea needs. That is the spirit of traditional tea roasting – something that cannot be learned quickly, nor can it be rushed.
Simple beauty from a kind heart
People cherished her not only for her delicious tea, but also for her kindness. Anyone who came to buy tea, whether a friend or a stranger, she would pour them a cup, slowly telling stories about the garden, the weather, and how the tea buds were at their most beautiful time of year.
The tea she makes is often chosen as the daily tea for local tea connoisseurs – an unpretentious tea, but one that becomes more and more beloved the longer you drink it.
A tea plantation spanning over 1 hectare – the foundation for a tea with lasting flavor.
The Phuc Doan tea plantation, spanning over 1 hectare, is nestled between small streams, the Cong River, and surrounding low hills. The cool microclimate, stable humidity, and mineral-rich soil provide the foundation for slow tea plant growth and excellent flavor development.
The tea is cultivated organically, using compost made from fish protein, soybean meal, and probiotics – without herbicides or growth stimulants. This is also why many of Phuc Doan’s tea varieties are highly regarded by drinkers for their purity and aftertaste.
From that tea base, the farm produces batches of hooked tea, young shrimp tea with a refreshing taste, the aroma of young rice grains, and a deep, sweet aftertaste that is very characteristic of Soi Vang Tan Cuong.
Lặng lẽ nhưng bền bỉ với nghề
Ms. Doan has won the Golden Hand award many times in tea competitions in Thai Nguyen city, often representing Soi Vang hamlet and bringing shared pride to the community.
But for her, the award was never the ultimate goal. “Making tea in a way that makes the drinker feel comfortable and trust it – that’s enough.”
A part of Tan Cuong’s soul
Phuc Doan Tea Farm is not only a place that produces delicious tea, but also a living memory of the Thai Nguyen tea land. And it is Ms. Doan – with her quiet hands and gentle heart – who preserves that spirit through each batch of tea.