Product Specifications

Weight (KG): 0.2

Shangi Plums — Naturally Grown Taiwanese Green Plums, Prepared Using Traditional Japanese Methods

The Dedication of Taiwanese Plum Farmers — A Life Devoted to Growing Plum Trees

Since the 1950s, husband and wife Gao Wanxiang and Zhang Laichun have been growing plum trees in Dongzijiao, Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County—trees that take six years to begin producing fruit. When the trees started bearing fruit, the young Gao Wanxiang joined his father in forestry work to help support the family, while Zhang Laichun harvested green plums to sell to export factories. A Japanese friend suggested that they process the plums into shiso plum preserves. This marked the beginning of their plum-preserving journey, which continues to this day.

Protecting every inch of land from harm, making every serving wholesome, and preserving a sustainable future for our descendants and the planet! Dongxing Organic Plum Farm was the first plum orchard in Taiwan to obtain organic certification.

Dongxing Plum Farm — Taiwan’s First Organically Certified Plum Orchard

Dongxing Plum Farm is located in the mountainous area of Dongzijiao, Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County, near Zengwen Reservoir. The owners, Gao Wanxiang and his wife Zhang Laichun, began planting plum trees here in the 1950s. The trees grow in mist-covered mountains throughout the year. When the plum blossoms bloom, the entire mountainside looks as though it is covered in snow. Around the Qingming Festival, the mountains become laden with healthy, plump green plums.
This is the farm’s busiest season. The process involves harvesting the plums, washing them with coarse salt, soaking, sun-drying, adding sugar in stages and turning the plums in their vats, then leaving them to age. Only after patiently waiting a full year for them to mature can packaging begin.

Natural Cultivation — Growing Plums Without Pesticides or Chemical Fertilisers

Even when many surrounding farms switched to the more profitable cultivation of betel palms, the couple remained committed to growing plum trees despite the hardships along the way. They have always insisted on using no pesticides or chemical fertilisers, preserving shiso plums using traditional methods, adding no chemical additives, and not making candied plums. Their aim is to retain the nutrients in the fruit so that the body can fully absorb and utilise them.

Zhang Laichun often tells her children and employees: “If we wouldn’t dare eat it ourselves, how could we sell it to others? Heaven watches what we do.”

Perfecting the Art of Plum Preserving — Earning Recognition and Trust

The couple continued learning and refining their preserving methods. Once their preserved plums had matured, they developed their own brand and packaging. With no sales channels available at the time, Zhang Laichun gave samples to relatives and friends. Their positive feedback and recommendations gradually led to purchases.

Sharing Their Craft — Bringing Shiso Plum Preserves to Farmers Across Taiwan

As the couple’s shiso plum preserves gained public recognition, the Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station sent representatives to ask them to share their preserving techniques with agricultural authorities in other plum-growing regions, helping Taiwanese farmers develop processed plum products.

Gao Wanxiang generously shared everything he knew with those who came to learn. In this way, shiso plum preserves grew in popularity across Taiwan.