Situated in the southeast coast of China, Taiwan acrosses Tropic of Cancer, embrancing the ideal weather condition for growing tea trees. The variance of landscape around the island creates different microclimatic types, which incubate diverse tea varieties in this small island, shaped as if a sweet potato. 

Incredibly, all of 15 counties in Taiwan grow and produce teas. It is truly a tea culture rich country. Not only is it a tea producing hub, but Taiwan is also renown for producing top-grade rare tea varieties in the world. From low altitude field to high mountain regions, Formosa teas demonstrate diversity of taste and charateristics for tea lovers. We are pleased to introduce you key orgins in this island where Mantra Tea’s selections come from. We hope you will enjoy learning the hisory of origins and find them lovely as we love our land, Formosa!

San Xia (Origin of Mantra Tea Bi Luo Chun, Dragon Well, and Honey Black Tea)
After Taiwan was returned from Japanese colonial period in 1945, many China mainlanders immigrated to Taiwan, immigrants including tea masters who brought generations of tea processing wisdom to Taiwan (then called Formosa). San Xia district is one of the area many tea masters immigranted to. San Xia is located in subtropical monsoon climate area with an average annual precipitation of 2942mm, more than 2534.2 mm in Taipei, especially in mountaineous area in San Xia district. This is why San Xia is renowned for its ideal climate to cultivate a tea variety suitable for making Longjing tea and Bi Luo Chun. Since then, San Xia has become a famous source of fine green tea.

In 1865, John Dodd, a Scottish merchant, first visited Formosa and investigated tea industry. He believes San Xia
 district is promising to develop into tea planting area. Dodd made loans to Formosan farmers through his 
comprador Li Chunsheng to help the farmers increase their production of tea. He also brought in tea plants from Amoy (Xiamen) and started a tea-firing business at Banka (Mengjia), which was relocated to larger quarters in Twa-tu-tia. In 1868 Dodd brought in skilled workers from Amoy and Foochow (Fuzhou) to work in his new tea 
processing factory.

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In 1869, he purchased some of the local tea, and sold for a good price in Macao. The next year, shipments were made to New York, where the Formosa oolong tea was well received first to America market. San Xia is one of the areas John Dodd promoted to grow tea because of its ideal weather and location. In 1885, Taiwan ambassador Ming Chuan Liu, supported tea farmers and encouraged tea export. Foreign merchants also greatly developed tea farming. Tea planting area in San Xia grew wide. In Japanese colonial period, farmers partnered with Japan Mitsu Co. to grow Assam black tea for exporting. San Xia has become one of the famous Formosa tea areas for long history.

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Muzha (Origin of Mantra Tea Iron Goddess of Mercy Tie Guan Yin Oolong)
Muzha is the origin where the authetic method of making traditional Iron Goddess of Mercy is preserved. The history traced back to A.D. 1875, when Mr. Zhang, a tea master immigrated from China and also brought with him generations of tea making expertise. In 1895, on the trip back from visiting family in China, he brought to Muzha 12 Tie Guan Yin tea trees, and later on, discovered trees grow very well in Muzha. In 1919, 3000 Tie Guan Yin tea trees were imported,and Muzha has become the origin of ancient style of Iron Goddess of Mercy. 

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Nan Gang (Origin of Mantra Tea Wen Shan Bao Zhong Oolong, Osmanthus Bao Zhong Oolong)
Back to Qing Dynasty in 1885, tea masters, Wang Shui Jing and Wei Jing Shi, came to Taiwan from Anxi, Fujian. They found an area, today's Jiu Chuang, Nangang in Taipei, is suitable for growing tea trees. The two masters improved and invented the best way to process Wenshan Pouchong tea and taught processing skills to local tea farmers. "Wenshan style" Pouzhong tea processing method, invented in 1885 by the tea master, Wang Shui Jin, was lost after he got blind. Fortunately, the other tea master, Wei Jing Shi, invented "Nangang style" Pouchong tea processing method, which was recognized as best as the lost method in 1916. With Wang Shui Jin's recommendation, Wei Jing Shi was hired as tea processing instructor the first time in a role of a tea farmer. Since then "Nangang style" Pouchong tea processing method became the mother of Formosa oolong tea processing skill. 

After Japanese colonial peroid, Wenshan Pouchong tea gets more popular. To promote Pouchong tea, Nangang Research and Development Center was established. Each spring and fall, tea farmers especially from Wenshan areas, including Pingling,Shen Keng, Xi Zhi,Shi Ding, and Xin Dian in the northern Taiwan, attend workshops to learn and keep processing skills of authentic Wenshan Pouchong tea. Nangang has been the key R&D place for Wenshan Pouchong tea. 

In 1982,tourism tea gardens were built up by Taipei City Hall and vitalized Nangang tea garden area. Currently, there are 70 hectares of tea gardens where majority of tea trees are grown in the area.

Miao Li (Origin of Oriental Beauty Oolong)
Planting tea trees in Miao Li has been over a 
hundred years. Early historical documents 
indicate that since Guang Xu Emporor of Ching 
Dynasty from 1874 A.D., Miao Li has been famous 
for producing Oriental Beauty tea. It has brought 
economy growth for local residents and immigrants. 

Miao Li County is also famous for daisy flowers