화개지역 야생수제차의 생산관행과 지속요인

Abstract

Since the growing and maintenance of tea requires specific climate and humidity, the area of its production is limited and its manufacturing practices vary according to the regions. This study aims to look at how wild hand-made tea is manufactured and the reasons for their continuation by observing how tea is made in Hwagye-myeon, Hadong -gun, an area well known for its production of wild hand-made tea. For this purpose, I first looked into the historical documents on the production of Hwagae handmade tea. Then I studied the manufacturing practice of the tea, which by the way continues to this day. I visited the manufacturing sites, interviewed with the people who make the tea, and participated in the tea-making process. I learned that the manufacturing process goes through three different stages: managing the wild tea field, gathering tea leaves, and actual making of the tea. Finally, based on historical background and actual practices, I present the reasons why the manufacturing of wild hand-made tea in the area continues until today. There are two reasons why this industry is still present in the Hwagae area. The first is that the area has a favorable natural environment for growing wild tea plants. Since Hwagae is a steep valley through which the Hwagae stream flows, it cannot accommodate tea plants from Japan, whose roots tend to spread horizontally. Therefore, the wild tea plants of Hwagae were not replaced with the improved breed during Japanese occupation. And since the wild tea plants of Hwagae had long been adapting themselves to the natural conditions of the area, it did not go extinct even when they did not benefit from human care. Their continuous existence led to the rich industry of hand-roasted tea, which became a unique feature of Hwagae tea production, distinct from the practices of other areas. The second reason why this special tea continues until today is the care of the monks of the temples of Mt. Jiri. Hwagae had long been known as a ‘village below the temples,’ and the production of the wild teas had been the job of the temple monks. Even after the disappearance of numerous temples that had long filled the mountainous of Hwagae, the wild tea field continues to this day. The Sanggye Temple monks were responsible in keeping the traditional hand-roast, tea-making methodology to this day, and for this reason, it can truly be said that the Buddhist culture and Hwagae temples contributed to the continuing tradition of producing wild hand-made tea in the area.