Taiwan Muzha Tieh-Kuan-Yin Tea, known for its complicated tea processing method and mellow flavor

In 1896, two tea masters, Chang Nai Miao and Chang Nai Chen, brougt Tieh-Kuan-Yin tea trees from Ansi, Fujieng Province to Taiwan for Muzha Tea Company. The unique taste of Tieh-Kuan-Yin tee is achieved by tea tree observation, plucking and processing techniques improved in the past 100 years.

Tieh-Kuan-Yin tea in the sun and mist

Muzha tea plantation areas are located on hills at altitude of 300 meters above sea level. Tee trees can grow well there because of long sunlight hours, well-drained soil, abundant rainfall and mist all year. Tea can be harvested 4 to 5 times. Spring tea and winter tea are the best quality tea in the year. Tree branches usually grow outward at an angle 75 degrees on average. Tea leaves can only be plucked by hands but not by machines. Besides, Muzha is the only production area of Tieh-Kuan-Yin tea in Taiwan. Therefore, the production is small and becoming more and more precious.

Each batch is harvested for 15 days. Muzha farmers also grow other tea cultivars, such as Sijichun, Wuyi, Meizan and Jhinhsuan so they can harvest tea with limited labor at different harvest seasons. Muzha produces not only Tieh-Kuan-Yin tea but also other kinds of tea. Some farmers who plant Tieh-Kuan-Yin tea cultivar would claim their “Real Tieh-Kuan-Yin” tea is processed with leaves from real Tieh-Kuan-Yin tea cultivar. Leaves from other cultivars like Sijichun and Jhinhsuan can undergo the same processing procedures. This kind of tea is usually called “Tieh-Kuan-Yin” tea.

Muzha Tieh-Kuan-Yin Tea is processed by a serious of complicated procedures, including solar withering, indoor withering, stirring, panning, first rolling, cloth wrapped rolling, mass breaking, small fire drying, second rolling, first roasting, stem picking and second roasting. Its liquid color is warm amber red. The unique flavor turns into a sweet head tone with a mild fruity hint. It is praised as “Kuan-Yin (bodhisattva) Yun (flavor)” for its smooth and delicate heavy taste.

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參考引用文章：
台北旅遊網
https://www.travel.taipei/tw zh- /attraction/details/245
NEWSWEEK木柵鐵觀音演變在地特色
http://shuj.shu.edu.tw/blog/2017/05/19/%E6%9C%A8%E6%9F%B5%E9%90%B5%E8%A7%80%E9%9F%B3-%E6%BC%94%E8%AE%8A%E5%9C%A8%E5%9C%B0%E7%89%B9%E8%89%B2/