Pingtan, located off the coast of Fujian province and the closest place on the mainland to the island of Taiwan, is a comprehensive pilot zone focused on cross-Straits integration and a key area for international trade and logistics. It is also recognized as China's second international tourism island, following Hainan. Here, a unique establishment is redefining the coffee experience.

Liu Shuting brewing coffee

Meet Liu Shuting, the visionary of "Cai Gen Tan," a Chinese-style wellness coffee sanctuary in Pingtan. For eighteen years, she has dedicated herself to mastering coffee's art–not just as a craft, but as a language of life itself. "Coffee possesses temperature, character, and taste, just like life." Into each aromatic cup of her Chinese-inspired blends, she weaves this philosophy–a distillation of her personal journey.

Liu Shuting and her coffee, blending into the island scenery  

Her extraordinary journey began in 2021, standing awestruck on Pingtan's wild coast. "I remember standing there thinking for a long time, how wonderful it would be if I could quietly brew a cup of coffee for guests on such an island," Liu Shuting recalls. Tucked away in a serene courtyard in the city, her shop, named after the Ming Dynasty philosopher Hong Yingming's collection of aphorisms, is a sanctuary. Dried mugwort sachets and herbal incense hang by the entrance, and inside, traditional Chinese medicine classics line the shelves, creating an ambiance more akin to a calming herbal hut than a typical cafe.

For Liu, coffee is distilled with Chinese philosophy and steeped with ancient wisdom. "That wisdom—harmony, balance, flowing with nature—lives in every bean," she says. She traces life's arc through flavor: the bold fire of youth, the bittersweet complexity of adulthood, the mellow depth of age.

Coffee grounds ground to the texture of coarse sugar work perfectly for pour-over.

Her passion for coffee began with instant blends, a starting point she believes should not be judged. "I can always, from different perspectives, repeatedly fall in love with coffee," she states. Over nearly two decades, she has delved into coffee's science, philosophy, and history, seeing it not just a career, but "a chain linking my chaos to clarity—teaching me to read the world's bitterness and sweetness, and my place within it."

Liu Shuting takes in the aroma of freshly ground coffee.

Today, Liu Shuting is also an innovative culinary researcher, crafting wellness coffees that blend traditional Chinese herbs with modern brews. Her signature "Guyuan Latte" incorporates turmeric and cinnamon. "Turmeric can regulate blood lipids and promote blood circulation; cinnamon can protect the heart and kidneys, and dispel cold and relieve pain. You see, flavoring is also about conditioning," she explains. Another creation, "Ruyi Ginseng Coffee," features whole dried Prince Ginseng in a coconut Americano. "Prince Ginseng replenishes qi, and young coconut moistens the lungs; in this humid and hot weather, it's most suitable," she adds, speaking with the precision of a gentle herbalist.

Liu Shuting's dream unfolds slowly, like coffee steeping at dawn. In her Pingtan sanctuary, she imagines crafting whispered blends for each guest—coffee attuned to tired mornings, restless nights, or the subtle shift of seasons. As the extract drips—she watches, the ripple in the carafe. "If I can make 'our own coffee' here, in this quiet way… "That's meaningful enough."