Wenshan Pouchong Tea

Wenshan Pouchong Tea

　　Wenshan Pouchong Tea is a lightly semi-fermented oolong tea. It is mainly produced in counties in northern Taiwan, such as Taipei City and Taoyuan. The premium Wenshan Pouchong Tea comes from the Wenshan District of Taipei County (now New Taipei City), including townships such as Xindian, Pinglin, Shenkeng, Shiding, Pingxi, and Xizhi. With over 200 years of tea cultivation history, this region is the birthplace of tea production in the province. Nestled among mountains and blessed with an ideal latitude and longitude, the area enjoys distinct seasons, a cool and moist climate year-round, and fertile soil—perfect conditions for tea tree growth. The current tea plantation area spans 1,895 hectares, where high-quality varieties such as Qingxin Oolong are cultivated. The resulting Pouchong Tea is of exceptional quality, with an annual output of around 1.3 million kilograms. Renowned both domestically and internationally, it is hailed as a rare tea treasure and is truly “one of a kind” in the global tea market. Alongside Dongding Oolong Tea, it is recognized as one of Taiwan’s two most famous teas, giving rise to the saying “Pouchong in the North, Oolong in the South.” The origin of the name “Pouchong” dates back to the early years of the Guangxu Emperor in the Qing Dynasty. Tea intended for imperial tribute was wrapped in two square sheets of rough-edged paper to form a sealed parcel, preventing the tea aroma from escaping. The package was stamped with the tea name and merchant seal. The Guangxu Emperor bestowed the name “Pouchong” upon this tea. Today, the best-quality Pouchong Tea produced in Taiwan comes from the Wenshan area of Taipei, known for its superior fragrance, hence it is commonly referred to as “Wenshan Pouchong Tea.” The Wenshan region includes tea-growing areas in Wenshan and Nangang districts of Taipei City, as well as Xindian, Pinglin, Shiding, Shimen, and Xizhi in Taipei County. Covering approximately 2,300 hectares, the tea gardens are located at elevations above 400 meters in mountainous regions with unique environments. Particularly in the Pinglin area, the scenery is picturesque, the climate remains cool and moist all year round, mist and fog are common, and the soil is rich—all of which contribute to the exceptionally high quality of Wenshan Pouchong Tea produced there. As a result, “Pinglin Pouchong Tea” is often synonymous with “Wenshan Pouchong Tea” in people's minds.