A quaint and tranquil ambiance   The rich historical essence of traditional Hakka Lei Cha

Text and photos byPingzi

If you're visiting Hsinchu and want to delve deeper into Hakka culture, Pingzi recommends taking a stroll around Beibu in Hsinchu. Here, you'll find a strong presence of traditional Hakka old houses, as well as the chance to enjoy authentic, traditional Hakka Lei Cha. She recommends this shop, opened by a Beibu cultural workshop steeped in Hakka history, known as Shuijing Tea House. With the unique charm of this little spot, don’t forget to treat yourself to a cup of Lei Cha—it’s a truly delightful experience.

To find Shuijing Tea House in Beibu Old Street, Hsinchu, first park your car in one of the alleys of the old street, then look for the scene often used for advertisements, as shown in the photo above. Entering from this entrance makes it much easier to find.

After walking just a few dozen steps, you’ll see the sign and facade of Shuijing Tea House.

The rich Hakka atmosphere is enhanced by the presence of the old house, which features a unique architectural style. Old is new, old is fashion—preserving and passing down such historic buildings is essential. The lush greenery adds even more character to the old house.

Shuijing Tea House is a restaurant that directly incorporates local Hakka village architecture, with a modern Hakka cuisine theme. The photo above shows the facade of Shuijing Tea House.

This little shop at Shuijing Tea House is very distinctive, and Pingzi always wants to stop by whenever she visits Beibu, or when bringing tourists or foreign friends along.

The rich, nostalgic atmosphere of the old house creates a sense of comfort and homesickness while you’re sitting inside.

Traditional buildings all share this interconnected design—no matter which door you enter from, you can reach the central area. This is a fascinating concept in Hakka house-building, or even in traditional Chinese courtyards. The goal is simple: everyone is family, and it's a great place to discuss matters in the main hall and strengthen familial bonds.

Because there are often many people, a whole group can gather together to drink Lei Cha and experience the fun of pounding it themselves—it's really interesting.

The green table and chairs in this corner are very appealing. Though retro, they don’t get tiresome even after prolonged viewing—the colors are very comfortable.

Modern furniture is either pitch black or overly bright and garish. Sometimes, these mid-to-low saturation tones are actually more pleasing.

The shop is very busy—there were already several groups of customers gathered to enjoy tea. The friendly and polite owner politely asked us where we’d like to sit. We eventually decided on an outdoor spot with sunlight.

There are several spacious indoor areas, perfect for large gatherings. The wooden spaces are very cozy.

The interior design is retro, with not too many new decorations. The original appearance is preserved without trying to modernize or change things up—a very nice approach. Culture should be preserved this way, not constantly renewed.

The outdoors brings in sunlight, which streams directly into the interior, creating a warm and very comfortable atmosphere.

The outdoor area at the back is Pingzi’s most recommended space. On a nice day, having a cup of Lei Cha here is incredibly relaxing.

The shop holds many surprises—you’ll find vintage furniture, ornaments, packaging, and even the music playing inside all carry a strong historical charm.

In recent years, they’ve also started selling their own high-quality teas.

The plants and flowers are full of vitality and life. Each image tells a story behind it, inviting exploration and discovery.

A view from outside looking into the shop offers another unique perspective.

Shuijing Tea House’s menu has been recently redesigned and now has a premium feel. It uses a vertical fold-out format, making it clear and easy to read at a glance.

Both the front and back of the menu reflect the Hakka spirit of the shop, as well as the selection of afternoon teas and drinks, adding to the refined feel.

The variety of teas has also become more diverse, and the small shop is becoming increasingly impressive.

Our group ordered several items—we tried the Hakka Iced Lei Cha. Whether hot or cold, it’s NT$100. When the iced Lei Cha arrives, it comes with a rich aroma, and is served with a side of Hakka vegetable cake. The iced Lei Cha itself is full of the fragrance of sesame, along with ingredients like mung beans, and is topped with plenty of rice (pang) that you can eat.

It’s a small bowl, perfect as an afternoon tea dessert.

The side dish is the Hakka vegetable cake, which Pingzi absolutely loves. It’s crispy, slightly salty, yet not greasy—and you’ll find yourself wanting to keep eating one after another. It reminds her of similar cookies she used to eat as a child, and for a moment, all those childhood memories come flooding back with every bite.

With a minimum spend, it’s best to pair them with other dim sum.

Of course, you mustn’t miss our Hakka muah chee? Mei mai yu? Jia you pian zhuo? Yue hao diao zhuo de, ri fu de mu zhe mao yu? Mai ren song ping ‘ge.

Since we had 10 people here for tea tasting, another group of friends opted for hot Hakka Lei Cha. Hakka Lei Cha can be experienced with just 3 people — it’s 300 NTD for 3 people. This is the hot version, and for first-time visitors, Pingzi recommends trying the hot Lei Cha.

Once it’s served, you can see the ingredients inside the Lei Cha.

You must first use the pestle to grind the ingredients inside.

Grind it up and down with effort — don’t pound it. Pounding might break the bowl. Grind the Lei Cha into a powdery consistency, slightly moist.

Then you can call the owner to pour hot water over it.

Finally, when the hot water is poured into the bowl, it’s done.

The fragrant and rich Hakka Lei Cha is simple to make yet full of cultural charm — perfect to share with visiting friends over a good cup of tea. Making Lei Cha is an artful process, very refined.

Visiting Shuijing Tea House, frequent visitor Pingzi came again on this day to share this experience with everyone. When you visit Hsinchu’s Beipu, don’t just stick to the Beipu Old Street — be sure to wander into the alleys and find this Shuijing Tea House to try your own hand at making Lei Cha. It will definitely make your cultural Hakka journey truly memorable.

Hsinchu Beipu | Shuijing Tea House | Hakka Lei Cha
(03)5805122.
No. 1, Zhongzheng Road, Beipu Township, Hsinchu County.
Website:http://www.peipu.com.tw/sub4a.htm.
 

Upssmile Pingzi (up’s smile – upward smile)!
She is a designer and also the photographer behind Upward Smile Travel, Food, Design & Photography.
Passionate about “travel,” “food,” “design,” “photography,” and film.
Blogger:http://upssmile.com/