At just 16 years old, Mong Shuan turned to selling betel nuts in Taiwan to earn around $670 a month, with a bonus for dressing provocatively to attract male customers. This unorthodox job requires slicing open the nuts, adding slaked lime, and wrapping them in a leaf to make them appealing. Mong, along with other young women in similar roles, became known as “betel nut beauties.” Photographer Constanze Han spent a month documenting this phenomenon, meeting these women along the highway connecting Taipei to Kaohsiung. Though the women are scantily clad in booths resembling brothels, the job of selling betel nuts is not linked to prostitution in Taiwan.
Han’s interest in the betel nut beauties stemmed from childhood memories of seeing them on trips to her grandfather’s house. Her project aims to dispel stereotypes and shed light on the lives of these women who face unwarranted judgment in a conservative culture like Taiwan’s. Inspired by the work of Susan Meiselas, Han sought to capture the nuances of the women’s experiences through candid conversations and honest portrayals in her photographs. Despite the stigmatized nature of the job, many of the women are level-headed and responsible.
Han’s photo series features mostly young women in their late teens or early 20s selling betel nuts, with one older subject who dresses more conservatively. The images capture mundane moments in the women’s daily routines, showcasing the stark contrast between their everyday lives and the neon-lit booths they work in. The women often change into more revealing outfits for work, sometimes at the request of owners to attract customers. One of Han’s subjects, Ju Ju, started selling betel nuts out of necessity but has since grown to appreciate the stability and opportunities the job offers.
Despite concerns of exploitation, efforts to regulate the betel nut industry in Taiwan have been implemented over the past two decades, including a dress code requiring sellers to cover certain areas of their bodies. As the use of betel nuts declines due to health risks, including a high likelihood of developing oral cancer, the tradition served by indigenous communities at gatherings is fading. Han’s photos capture a unique aspect of Taiwanese life that may eventually disappear, prompting viewers to reflect on this cultural phenomenon without judgment. The photographer hopes her work will spark curiosity about Taiwan and challenge preconceived notions about the betel nut beauties.
