Taipei City Goverment

Supervised by the Taipei City Government’s Department of Economic Development (DOED) and organized by the Muzha District Farmers’ Association, the 2019 Outstanding Winter Muzha Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess) Tea Competition saw the accumulation of 312 competition points (each point is equivalent to 13.8kg of tea). After the preliminaries, second and final round of judging, the competition result was unveiled in the afternoon of 12/21, with Chen Wei-Chih from Uncle Well Tea clinching the grand prize.

Hailing from Maokong, Muzha, Chen is also known as Uncle Well. He came to Maokong in 1991 to establish a tea garden (originally named Ming Hua Yuen Teahouse which was later renamed Uncle Well Tea). From land development, cultivation, management, harvesting to tea making, every process involves meticulous attention, hoping to preserve the heritage and the most authentic flavor of Tie Guan Yin tea. After winning the top prize of the 2018 Winter Muzha Tie Guan Yin Tea Competition, he spent an entire year to research and hone his skills to better his own achievements and clinch the grand prize of 2019 Outstanding Winter Muzha Tie Guan Yin Tea Competition.

Chen commented humbly that his success is attributed to the blessings from above and the dedicated support of friends around him. However, experts all know that to stand out from such stiff competition and snatch the coveted grand prize requires more than blessings from above. Beside the judges’ scrupulous appraisal in smell (aroma), taste (flavor) and sight (appearance, shape and color of the tea soup and brewed tea leaves), the tea master’s 5 senses, mental quality, persistence, and patience are also tested, demonstrating the unique privilege of winning such a special award!

With a bouquet of ripened fruit, profound aftertaste and slight acidity of fruits, Muzha Tie Guan Yin Competition Tea appraised and handpicked by professional judges is the prime choice of tea for tea connoisseurs. Muzha District Farmers’ Association held an exhibition of prize-winning teas at the Muzha Farmers’ Building (Address: No. 77, Sec. 3, Muzha Rd.) from 9 AM to 2 PM on December 31. With a wide selection of prize-winning teas and tea farmers gathered under one roof, the tea exhibition allows consumers to purchase a variety of competition Tie Guan Yin teas, making it an essential event for Tie Guan Yin enthusiasts. Moreover, a simple yet solemn award ceremony will be conducted at the activity center on the 8F of the Muzha District Farmers’ Association at 10:30. Everyone keen to catch a glimpse of the tea masters is welcome to attend the award ceremony to offer their encouragement.

The DOED and Muzha District Farmers’ Association are both committed to the long-term promotion of tea culture, hoping to attract more citizens to visit Muzha and taste tea by organizing the event so that they can engage in dialogues with local farmers and appreciate the lifestyle of the tea country of Maokong. For more details on the DOED’s activities, please browse the “臺北市產業局－台北饗樂趣” FB fan page or the official website of the DOED.