Back when I was in college at the University of Oregon, I studied East Asian Language and Literature. Somewhere in those readings, I came across a passage about tea that changed the way I saw the world.

Maybe it was the line from the Chinese mystic Lu Tong:

“The first cup moistens my lips and throat,
The second shatters my loneliness,
The third causes the wrongs of life to fade gently from my memory,
The fourth purifies my soul,
The fifth lifts me to the realm of the unwinking gods.”

In that moment, I realized — I was a tea person.

I decided to make the switch from coffee to tea, but there was one problem: in 1995, the only tea available on campus was bad tea — low-quality tea bags that left my stomach aching after a few cups. I wanted to like tea. I already felt a deep, almost psychic connection to it, but I couldn’t make the shift.

Then, in 1996 and 1997, I went to Taiwan. That was where I first saw the true depth of tea culture. My roommates were deeply into tea, and even though I didn’t yet know how to participate, I could sense that tea was something special — something powerful.

It wasn’t until the year 2000, when I moved to Tainan, Taiwan, that everything changed. Tainan — the cultural heart of Taiwan — is a city that celebrates connection, humanity, and the shared joy of food and tea. It was there that I fell deeply into the world of tea.

I saw how tea wasn’t just a beverage; it was a way of life. It was everywhere — woven into daily routines, art shows, and traditional events. Tea connected people. It slowed time. It invited presence. It breathed life and meaning into the spaces between human relationships.

I realized this was something my friends and family back in the U.S. were missing — not just the flavor, but the feeling of real tea.

I had caught the bug, and I knew I had to share it.

That’s why I created J-TEA: to bring the purity, quality, and spirit of Taiwan’s finest teas to people here. To make sure that anyone who wants to experience tea the way it was meant to be — with intention, depth, and joy — can do so.

It all started with a simple wish:
I wanted to like tea.
And along the way, tea taught me the art of appreciation.