The earliest recorded history of Taiwanese tea dates back to the Gazetteer of Zhuluo County (1717), which noted: “In the mountainous regions of central and southern Taiwan, at elevations between 800 and 5,000 feet, wild tea trees grow. Local residents pick their young buds, process them simply, and brew them for home consumption.” The Gazetteer of Tamsui Department also recorded: “Maolu Mountain produces tea; its nature is extremely cold, and the indigenous people dare not drink it.” Although these wild teas bear little resemblance to modern Taiwanese tea, they represent the earliest records in Taiwan’s tea history.
The tea currently cultivated in Taiwan was brought over approximately 200 years ago by immigrants from Fujian, China, and the production techniques were largely inherited from Fujian as well. It is fair to say that modern Taiwanese tea stems from the Fujian tea tradition. Initially, the tea produced was mostly exported to mainland China, alongside domestic consumption. At that time, Taiwan’s tea production was largely centered in Taipei, and its primary export port was Dadaocheng, also in Taipei. In a way, the export and production of tea quietly drove the development of northern Taiwan, shifting the island’s economic center from the south to the north.
Key Milestones in Taiwanese Tea History
Jiaqing Era, Qing Dynasty (1796–1820): Ke Chao introduced tea seeds from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian and planted them in what is now Ruifang District, New Taipei City. This is traditionally considered the beginning of tea cultivation in northern Taiwan.
Yimao Year, Xianfeng Era, Qing Dynasty (1855): Lin Fengchi introduced Qingxin Oolong tea trees from Fujian and planted them on Dongding Mountain in Lugu, Nantou. This marked the beginning of Taiwanese Oolong tea.
Tongzhi Era, Qing Dynasty (1856–1875): John Dodd imported tea seedlings, provided technical guidance, purchased fine teas, established a refinement factory, and handled exports. He played a significant role in promoting Taiwanese tea.
Guangxu Era, Qing Dynasty (1875–1908): The Zhang brothers introduced pure-strain Tielguanyin from Anxi and planted it in the mountainous area of Muzha, marking the beginning of Muzha Tielguanyin.
Japanese Rule Period: Beyond the tea varieties originally introduced from mainland China, the Japanese conducted years of trials and selected four major tea cultivars—Qingxin Damu, Qingxin Oolong, Dayeh Oolong, and Yingzhi Hongxin—promoting them year by year. The Japanese government also heavily promoted the production of black tea. By World War II, as many tea plantations were converted to grow food crops, tea production dropped by over 90%.
ROC Government Period: Early on, black tea was widely promoted. In the 1970s, due to rising labor costs, tea previously destined for export shifted primarily to the domestic market, and Taiwan’s black tea production steadily declined. After the 1980s, Taiwanese tea gradually transitioned toward high-mountain tea, focusing mainly on domestic consumption.