English4TW team brings you a short trip to a tea farm and monastery in Nantou this time.
台灣美語通團隊這次帶給您一趟到茶廠與禪寺的南投小旅行。

The location of the first successful attempt at planting Assam Tea is in Sun Moon Lake; along with A-li-shan, it's one of the few Black Tea production locations in Taiwan.
日月潭是台灣第一次成功試種阿薩姆紅茶的地區。和阿里山並列台灣少數的紅茶產區。

Geographically at the heart of Formosa Island, Puli Township is a close neighbor to Sun Moon Lake. Standing tall here is the world's largest Buddhist monastery Chung Tai Chan Monastery.
而緊鄰日月潭的埔里鎮，是台灣本島的地理中心，這裡矗立著全世界最大的佛教寺廟中台禪寺。

Antique Assam Tea Farm

日月老茶廠

This journey starts by heading north on Provincial Highway 21 after leaving Sun Moon Lake.
這段旅行就從離開日月潭，往北走台21線開始。

Pay attention along the way as there are many Sun Moon Lake Black Tea signs. Look to your left not long after, there is an Antique Assam Tea Farm.
注意沿途，有很多日月潭紅茶的招牌。沒多久，注意你左邊，有一座日月老茶廠。

Antique Assam Tea Farm is situated half way up the mountain. You'll need to go through tea hills full of greenery to get there.
老茶廠位在半山腰，要經過滿園翠綠的茶山才能到。

Walking your way up, you can see plantation signs indicating the type of tea plants and the year of plantation.
沿路走上去，可以看到茶園標示茶栽種類和種植年分。

The Taiwan Tea No. 18 that we saw is an improved version of Black Tea. This is the high-end Black Tea in Taiwan.
我們看到的台茶18號就是台灣改良的紅茶，這是目前台灣最頂級的紅茶。

With a mild taste of mint and cinnamon, Taiwan Tea No.18 is hailed as the Aroma of Taiwan by world-class Black Tea experts.
淡淡的薄荷和肉桂味，有世界紅茶專家譽為「台灣之香」。

Arriving at the tea farm, you can see the tea-making machines and hear the operating noise outside the windows; however, it is not open to the public unless you arrange an appointment.
走到茶廠，你可以從窗外看到製茶機器和操作聲音，不過，除非事先預約，不開放參觀。

Going to their retail store, we see staff sprinkling coffee beans along the way. It's quite interesting that this Black Tea-processing factory produces a small amount of coffee beans as well.
走到他們的門市，途中看到他們正在曬咖啡豆，紅茶工廠也製作少量咖啡豆，相當有趣。

You can see various Taiwan Black Tea products at the retail store, including Taiwan Tea No. 8, which is the closest living relative to and an improved version of the very first batch of successfully planted Assam in Taiwan in 1930s.
在門市你可看到各種台灣紅茶產品，其中包括台茶8號，這是最接近1930年代，第一批在台灣栽種成功的阿薩姆改良種。

They provide samples. You can see the beautiful color of the tea soup under the sunlight.
他們也提供試喝，你可以看到陽光下，漂亮的茶湯顏色。

Chung Tai Chan Monastery

中台禪寺

Continuing on Provincial Highway 21 and passing through Puli urban district, you can follow the road signs to get to Chung Tai Chan Monastery after passing a highway culvert.
繼續走台21線經過埔里市區，過了高速公路涵洞，沿指標可以找到中台禪寺。

Chung Tai Chan Monastery was initially a small Buddhist Place of Practice by an industrial road in Taipei leading from Yangmingshan to Jin-shan.
中台禪寺原本是台北陽明山通往金山，產業道路旁一個小小的道場。

Due to the esteemed teaching of its founder Master Wei-jue, the size of the place of practice grew larger and larger. It took 10 years to finally finish building this architecture in Puli in 2001.
因為創辦人惟覺法師的禪修指導很受推崇，道場規模越來越大，費時10年，2001年在埔里完成這棟建築。

Entering this little access road from Provincial Highway 21, you can see the stark contrast between farm buildings and this architecture.
從台21線轉進小小的連絡道，路上你可以看到農家建築和這棟建築的鮮明對比。

Outside the entrance is a whole row of shops selling beverages and local delights. There are quite a few tourists enjoying food while relaxing here.
門外有一整排販售冷飲和地方特色的小店，不少遊客在這裡輕鬆坐著享用食物。

There is a garden before entering the main hall. The stone cow looks like the water-pond guardian.
進入大殿前，有一個園林，一頭石雕的牛好像守護著水池。

The Chung Tai Chan Monastery main hall is 136 meters (37 stories tall). Upon entering the main hall, you'll be awed by the sculptures of the 4 kings in 4 corners.
中台禪寺的大殿有136公尺，37層樓高，一進門會被四個角落的四大天王雕像震懾住。

These are sculpted from black basalt. There is one in each corner shooting from the ground all the way to the roof, looking like pillars.
這是由黑玄武岩雕刻而成，東西南北四方各有一個，從地面一直到屋頂，好像支柱一樣。

Continue going upstairs, and the Buddha statue is quite different in appearance than the Protector Deities of Buddhist Law across from downstairs, displaying an air of Creative Art.
繼續往上走，佛像和樓下對面的護法神，和你一般看到的造型不一樣，賦予了很特別的藝術創意。