The small island of Taiwan lies directly across the Formosa Strait from tea giant and number one tea producer, China. Just 235 miles long and 90 miles wide, Taiwan is no slouch, either, when it comes to growing tea, producing some of the world’s finest, high quality oolong. |
Most of Taiwan’s tea grows in the central part of the island, the majority of tea gardens established in the late 19th century by close to two million Chinese immigrants from Fujian Province who relocated there.Taiwan’s terrain and climate are near perfect for growing high quality tea, with a sub-tropical cli- mate that brings summer rains to the southern part of the island and winter rains to the north. There are approxi- |
ed “boutique tea farms,” where the owner oversees and runs their own farm.Ancestors pass down their individual tea-making skills and secrets to the next generation, so the future of quality, prized tea pro- duction will continue on for generations to come. There are three distinct tea growing regions in Taiwan; north, Just south of the island’s bustling capital In fact, Pinglin is so devoted to tea that it Tie Kuan Yin or Tie Tung Ting, made from the One third of Taiwan’s total tea acreage is located in Nantou County. This is In 1999 a serious earthquake ravaged the region, killing nearly 3,000 peo- In addition to the spring festival, an annual tea tasting competition is held Jin Xuan is also produced in the town of Luku, and the town- black tea. The East Rift
Bai Hao or Oriental Beauty was one of the first quality oolongs to be ex- |
The famous peaks of Alishan Mountain in Chiayi county is home to Alishan oolong. To the Taiwan- ese the mountains are a place of inspiration and contemplation. Alishan oolong grows above 7,200 feet and was Taiwan’s first (and some say best) high altitude gao shan tea.Other high mountain teas include Li Shan (Pear Mountain), Yu Shan (Jade Mountain), and Gold Lily made from the Jin Xuan cultivar. The tea grows in rows on the side of steep mountain slopes making it difficult to harvest. With Taiwan also produces small amounts of green tea. In Sansia, to the southwest of Taipei Taiwan is proud of its tea heritage, both past and present. There are many museums, promo- |