Tie Guan Yin Origin Story: The Oolong of Dreams

Learn the history and legend behind Tie Guan Yin Oolong! For a more in-depth exploration of this world-famous tea, check out Jason’s book A Tea Lover’s Travel Diary Pt 1: Two World Famous Oolong Teas.

Tie Guan Yin’s Hometown, Anxi County

Authentic Tie Guan Yin Oolong such as ours is produced in Anxi County, Fujian Province, China. The landscape is dominated by mountains, peak after peak. Tea gardens are situated on the slopes at about 3,000 feet above sea level.

Early History of Tie Guan Yin

Tea production in Anxi County has a long history stretching over 1,000 years. Tie Guan Yin Oolong first appeared in the early years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912).

There are many legends and conflicting stories regarding the tea’s origins. Here is what we know for sure: Tie Guan Yin originated in the township of Xiping. Historic record confirms that an 18th century tea farmer in Xiping’s Songyan Village, called Wei Yin, discovered a special wild-growing tea plant variety.

The Legend

As the story goes, Mr. Wei Yin was a devout Buddhist. Every morning before work, he would offer a cup of tea to the bodhisattva Guan Yin, the all-seeing and all-hearing deity of compassion and mercy.

After ten years of the tea farmer’s devotions, Guan Yin Pu Sa graced Mr. Wei Yin with a dream. While sleeping, he visited a large stream that ran nearby Songyan village.

On the streambank, he saw an unusual tea plant growing beside a large rock. The dream tea plant had small purple-red buds. The leaves were thick, dark green, and shining, and released a unique fragrance.

Awakening the next day, Mr. Wei Yin visited the streambank and found the tea plant, just as it had been in the dream. He picked some leaves and brought them home to make tea using the oolong processing method.

When the finished tea was brewed, the quality was beyond compare. There was a heady fragrance of orchid and osmanthus flowers. The flavor was sweet and lingering under the tongue.

That same year in late spring or early summer, Mr. Wei Yin returned to take cuttings from the mother-tree. He propagated the cuttings at his tea farm, and shared this new tea with family and friends.

The Naming of Tie Guan Yin

In 1742, the 6th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign, a government official named Wang Shirang brought some of Wei Yin’s special oolong tea to Beijing. He presented the tea as a gift to the emperor.
Emperor Qianlong, a tea connoisseur, immediately fell in love. He declared the new tea’s virtues:

• Rich in Color
• Special Fragrance
• Sweetly Lingering
• Imposing Presence, Like Iron

Based on his experience, the emperor gave the tea its name: Tie Kuan Yin, which roughly translates to “Iron Goddess of Compassion.”

Tie Guan Yin’s Rise in Fame

In the mid-18th century, Tie Guan Yin became very popular in South China, especially in the following cities: Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, and Xiamen. After a while, almost all families in the area kept some Tie Guan Yin at home. Eventually, Tie Guan Yin became synonymous with Chinese tea, and it is still very popular in Southern China, as well as throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States.

Enjoy Tie Guan Yin at Home: