Tea Blog

Several major tea-producing regions have changed names since tea became a global industry. One of the most well-known examples is Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon—a name that still lives on in Ceylon tea varieties grown in Sri Lanka.

Another example is Taiwan. Once known as Formosa, the island lies just off the southeastern coast of mainland China. Unlike Sri Lanka, however, the older name is used less frequently in modern marketing, though it still appears in references such as Formosa oolong tea from Taiwan.

Today, Taiwan is best known for its high-quality oolong teas, which are widely regarded among tea enthusiasts for their complexity and craftsmanship.

Writing in the early twentieth century, journalist Herbert Compton described the region’s tea industry in The Tea Industry of Formosa, noting its “bright prospects” and describing the island as an appealing place for both cultivation and habitation.

Compton also referenced stories suggesting that tea plants might have grown wild in Formosa. However, he believed it more likely that tea was introduced from nearby China. Modern tea historians, including Victor Mair and Erling Hoh, do not definitively identify when tea was first brought to Taiwan, though records indicate it was being cultivated there as early as 1701.

By 1861, British reports noted that tea from Formosa was being exported—somewhat ironically—to China itself. At that time, however, tea production on the island remained relatively small in scale.

Compton credits British merchant John Dodd with helping expand Taiwan’s tea industry during the late nineteenth century, particularly through export development.

From 1895 onward, Taiwan came under Japanese rule for roughly fifty years. During this period, tea production expanded significantly, supported by agricultural development and export infrastructure. Given Japan’s deep cultural ties to tea, this growth is perhaps unsurprising.

While Japan is typically associated with green tea production, Taiwan evolved into a center for oolong tea—an interesting divergence that reflects the island’s unique agricultural and cultural influences.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles in this archive of tea history and commentary.

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