Formosa oolong tea
Encyclopedia
Brief
Formosa Oolong or Taiwanese Oolong is any oolongOolong
Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties...
(烏龍茶) tea that is grown and produced in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
is also known as Formosa
Formosa
Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
from the Portuguese or Old Spanish Ilha Formosa, meaning “beautiful island”. While some companies have given the name Formosa oolong to mean Pouchong Oolong, High Mountain Oolong, or White Tip Oolong also called Oriental Beauty Oolong tea.
History of Taiwan Oolongs
The earliest record of tea trees found in Taiwan can be traced back to 1717 in Shi Sha Lien (水沙連), present-day Yuchih (魚池) and PuliPuli, Nantou
Puli is an urban township in Nantou County, Taiwan. It is the geographic center of Taiwan.In the 19th century the city was known as Posia or Polisia . The Atayal name of the settlement was Sabaha Bakalas, meaning "house of stars"....
(埔里), Nantou County
Nantou County
Nantou County is the second largest county of Taiwan. It is also the only landlocked county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya Taiwanese aboriginal word Ramtau. Nantou County is officially administered as a county of Taiwan....
.
According to Lien Hen (連橫; Taiwanese historian :zh:%E9%80%A3%E6%A9%AB (%E4%BA%BA%E5%90%8D)), in the late 18 century, Ke Chao (柯朝) brought some tea tree from Fuchien, China Fuchien into Taiwan and planted in Jie Yu Keng (櫛魚坑), currently known as Ruifang District, New Taipei City. However, transaction records indicated that tea business in Muzha (木柵, Taipei 台北市) area started as early as late 18th century. Thus we can believe that tea has been merchandised in Taiwan for more than 2 centuries.
In 1855, Lin Feng Chi (林鳳池) brought the Cing Shin Oolong(青心烏龍) plants from Wuyi Mountain (Fujien Province, China)(武夷山，福建，中國) into Taiwan and planted in Dongding Village (Lugu
Lugu, Nantou
-Traffic:*County Road 139：Lugu － Shuili*County Road 151：Jhushan － Sun Link Sea Highway-External links:*...
, Nantou County, Taiwan)(凍頂鄉，南投，台灣). This is said to be the origin of Dongding Oolong Dong Ding tea
Dong Ding tea
Dong Ding is an Oolong tea from Taiwan. The original leaves were taken from a much older tea plant in China's Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province. The name "Dong Ding" means "Frozen Summit", which is the name of the mountain on which the original tea plants taken from the Wuyi Mountains were planted...
from Taiwan.
In 1867, English tea trader Jon Dodd started a tea company in Wanhua, Taipei Taipei city(萬華，台北市), and started to sell Taiwanese oolong tea to the world under the name "Formosa Oolong", and the Pouchong oolong was considered to be more flowery than Baihao Oolong, Pouchong was exported under the name "Formosa Pouching". Formosa Baihao Oolong is very fruity in taste.