Beautiful oolong from Anxhi County, Fujian, China
The story of Tieguanyin is one of the oldest myths known for the tea plant. Legend has it that a poor farmer Wei Yin worked very hard every day in the fields but always made a point to stop by the dilapidated temple of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy & Compassion. Each time he swept the temple, he would say a prayer of thanksgiving to serve.
One night, he fell asleep in the temple. Guan Yin appeared to Wei Yin in a dream and told him to go to a cave behind the temple. When he awoke, he went there. He found a single shoot of tea. He took it home where he planted and tended to it until it grew into a bush he could harvest. He then began to take offshoots and share it with his neighbors. And now, this particular oolong is one of the most coveted and loved in all of China.
As for the temple of Guan Yin, it has been restored to its beauty and you can even visit it!
The story of Tieguanyin is one of the oldest myths known for the tea plant. Legend has it that a poor farmer Wei Yin worked very hard every day in the fields but always made a point to stop by the dilapidated temple of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy & Compassion. Each time he swept the temple, he would say a prayer of thanksgiving to serve.
One night, he fell asleep in the temple. Guan Yin appeared to Wei Yin in a dream and told him to go to a cave behind the temple. When he awoke, he went there. He found a single shoot of tea. He took it home where he planted and tended to it until it grew into a bush he could harvest. He then began to take offshoots and share it with his neighbors. And now, this particular oolong is one of the most coveted and loved in all of China.
As for the temple of Guan Yin, it has been restored to its beauty and you can even visit it!