This event aims to introduce and promote Taiwanese tea culture to a broad audience, while informing prospective students to the study opportunities, cultural programs and scholarships available in Taiwan. It seeks to offer an international perspective on Taiwan, highlighting the authentic aesthetics and lifestyle of its people through tea culture and tea production.

Taiwan’s tea cultivation and trade can be traced back to 1652, when it was first documented in reports by the East India Company—marking nearly 400 years of history. In the 19th century, “the Father of Taiwanese Tea,” Li Chun-sheng (李春生), along with European tea merchant John Dodd, promoted tea cultivation in Taipei’s Wenshan District, laying the foundation of Taiwan’s tea industry. At its peak, tea exports accounted for more than half of Taiwan’s total export value. Renowned for its exceptional quality, Taiwanese tea was called “Formosa Tea” by Westerners and praised as the “Champagne of Teas.”

Through the expansion of international trade during the Japanese colonial period and the gradual shift toward the domestic market in the Republic of China era, Taiwan’s tea industry evolved into a rich diversity of tea varieties, production techniques, and tea culture. This history demonstrates that Taiwanese tea is not only a vital industry, but also a reflection of Taiwan’s heritage and cultural identity, playing a significant role in its social and cultural development.

All members of the general public and students are join us for an afternoon of fragrant tea aromas and informative insights.

Contact the host of Taiwan Teahouse