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Taiwanese tea culture includes tea arts, traditional tea ceremonies, and the social aspects of tea consumption. While the most common teas consumed in Taiwan are oolongs, especially Taiwanese oolongs such as Alishan and Lishan. Black, red and green teas are also popular. Many of the classical arts can be seen in the tea culture, such as calligraphy, flower arts, and incense arts. Most people in Taiwan drink tea, and tea serves not only as a drink, but also as a part of the culture. The tea culture of Taiwan can be traced back to its roots in Chinese tea culture. Many people visit one of the numerous traditional tea houses or "tea-arts" shops, located all over Taiwan.
Contents
History
The island's tea arts are Chinese that have been influenced by western culture. Gongfu tea ceremony is informally referred to as laoren cha, or "old man tea", which originated in China and has flourished in Taiwan.
Over three hundred years ago, the first wild tea trees were discovered in Taiwan. However these trees which were found in the wild were not grown on an estate or grown specifically for consumption as most teas are nowadays. Only two hundred years ago, Taiwanese people took tea trees from the Wuyi Mountains in the Fujian province to Taiwan and planted them in the North of Taiwan. After that, Taiwan began cultivating tea trees in tea gardens and producing tea from them. Taiwan has a climate which is one of the best for cultivating tea trees in the entire world, with high mountain ranges, a lot of sun and precipitation. Because of Taiwan's geography and climate, Taiwanese teas are some the best teas in the world. Taiwan produces green teas, Bau Jong tea (known in the Western World as Bau Jhong tea), Oolong teas, black teas and others. Taiwan Bau Jong tea and Taiwan Oolong tea are indeed famous throughout the world.
In 1868, English merchant John Dodd employed Chinese tea masters from the Fuijian province to start a tea processing shop in Taipei, so that they could successfully complete the entire tea manufacturing process from within Taiwan instead of having to complete the manufacturing process in China.
In the next year, 1869, John Dodd began shipping Formosa Oolong tea to the United States. In fact, he shipped 127 tonnes of the Formosa Oolong which was brand new and completely unheard of at the time to America where it became a great success and grew in such popularity that from that time on, Taiwanese tea was then exported to Europe and other countries around the world.
When production of tea in Taiwan began, the only teas which were produced in Taiwan were Oolong teas. And at the time Taiwan began producing tea, the tea market was widely unknown throughout the world so tea business was poor.
Then one day a tea merchant used a Taiwan Oolong tea to create what is called Bau Jong tea, also known as Bau Jhong or Bao Jhong tea, which is actually a Pouchong tea which is an extremely lightly oxidized Oolong tea. Bao Jhong tea is processed with a minimum of rolling and drying, which results in a larger dry leaf that has undergone only slight oxidation. Bau Jong Pouchong tea is noteworthy for its fresh, floral aroma, and is a good starting point for those who are new to drinking Oolong teas. During the years of 1875-1908, Zhangnaimiao and his brother Zhangnaigan removed tie guan yin from the Anxi province, then they planted the Tie Guan Yin in Muzha Zhanghu in Taiwan. This was how Taiwan Muzha Tie Guan Yin came into being.
Top 10 Famous Teas
Dongding Oolong: Dongding Oolong also called Dongding which is produced in Lugu town, Nantou. People use the best quality “Qingxin Wulong” trees to produce Dongding. Dongding Oolong is very famous in Taiwan. And it is the representative of hemispherical Bau Jong.
Wenshan Bau Jong Oolong: Wenshan Bau Jong Oolong has strong fragrance, mellow and beauty character, it is regarded as a premium tea. Wenshan Bau Jong Oolong is peculiarity of Taiwan like the Dongding Oolong. And Taiwan people always say “the north of Taiwan is famous for Bau Jong, the south of Taiwan is famous for Dongding Oolong ”.
Oriental Beauty Oolong: Oriental Beauty Oolong is a traditional and exclusive Oolong original from Taiwan. It is also named “Bai Hao Oolong” because its buds covered much of white tips. It has natural sweet aroma and honey aroma because of the bite of small green insect / leaf hoppers. Taiwan Songbai Changqing
Songbai Changqing Cha (Oolong): Songbai Changqing Cha is produced in Songbailing, Nantou. Jiang jingguo praised it in Songbailing because of its strong fragrance and named it “Songbai Changqing Cha” in 1975. The famous Songbai Changqing Cha includes Jinxuan and Siji Chun cha. Taiwan Alishan cha
Alishan Zhulucha (Oolong): Wulong tea tree and Jinxuan tea tree are used to produce Alishan Zhulucha. The tea area is in Shizhuo, Alishan and the altitude is 1000-1700 meter. Taiwan High Mountain cha
Taiwan high mountain tea (Oolong): Taiwan high mountain tea means this Oolong use the fresh leaves which is from the tea garden at the 1000 meter altitude. Taiwan high mountain tea areas are widely distributed. The representative of high mountain tea are Alishan tea, Shanlinxi tea, Lishan tea and Yushan tea. Taiwan Sun-Moon Lake black tea
Sun-Moon Lake black tea: 1925 Taiwan Yuchi, Puli started to plant Assam tea trees which was from India. Because the black tea which is produced by the Assam tea trees has beautiful color, mellow taste, and strong fragrance plus Yuchi, Puli is very suitable for planting the Assam tea trees, the Sun-Moon Lake black tea compare favorable with India and Sri Lanka.
Taiwan Muzha tie guan yin Muzha tie guan yin (Oolong): Muzha tie guan yin originated from Anxi, Fujian. Taiwan people use the special local traditional method to make it. 1875 -1908 Muzha tea company brought tie guan yin tea trees then planted in Zhanghu, Muzha. From then on there is Muzha tie guan yin in Taiwan. Taiwan Sanxia Dragon well Sanxia Dragon well (Green tea): Sanxia tea area is the only place which produces Tai Wan Dragon well. Sanxia Dragon well is very special, it smells fragrance after brewed, and taste a little bitter but has sweet after taste.
Taiwan Longquancha Longquancha (Oolong): Longquan cha which is also called Longtan Bau Jong tea is the peculiarity of Longtan town. This tea looks green and tight with smell of orchid. After brewed, the liquor smells fragrance and the color is bright, clean and yellow-green. It tastes mellow and strong sweet after taste.