A CENTURY-OLD TEA FACTORY DATING BACK TO THE ERA OF “BLACK GOLD”
Located in the mountains of Taoyuan, the Daxi Tea Factory is a historic tea processing plant and eco-tourism destination that tells one of the stories of Taiwan’s iconic tea industry while promoting modern tea culture.
The factory preserves historic machinery, features educational exhibitions and workshops, and promotes local tea products, including environmentally-friendly organic tea.
Although it may look new from its recent renovation in 2013, the tea factory’s story actually begins back in the 1920s when tea was referred to as “black gold”.
Birth of The Daxi Tea Factory
The Daxi Tea Factory, originally known as the Jiaoban Factory, was one of the most modern tea factories in Taiwan at the time. As one of eight factories which produced tea for export under the Nittoh brand, the Jiaoban Factory was an extremely busy place. At peak production, three British Jackson tea leaf rolling machines operated around the clock, producing an annual output of 6 million pounds of tea.
After the arrival of the Kuomintang (KMT) government from China in 1946, the tea factory was renamed the “Daxi Tea Factory” and production continued until the factory was destroyed by fire in 1956. Fortunately, then-President Chiang Kai-shek ordered the factory rebuilt after noticing it’s disappearance on one of his visits to his country villa.
The factory continued operating until the late 1990s when production stopped completely.
Reimagining the Tea Factory as a Cultural Space
In the 2010s, the Taiwan Tea Corporation initiated a plan to renovate the Daxi Tea Factory with the goal of preserving a historic space while leveraging that space to promote Taiwanese tea culture. Renovations to the factory have preserved its historic appearance, characterized by brick walls, fragrant Taiwan cypress framework, and polished stone floors. The ceiling above the former drying area has even been allowed to retain its darkened appearance, which is the result of residual heat generated during the drying process.
A Historic Building with a Modern Touch
On the first floor, the aroma of tea leaves greet visitors who are encouraged to wander around and explore on their own. Take in the massive cast-iron tea processing machines and tour through withering rooms filled with bamboo tea trays. Or, head over to the tea store to browse local tea products and pottery. Minimalist cement surfaces and low-fuss filament bulbs here contribute to a suitably industrial feeling—it is still a factory after all, but the general environment is one of coziness and warmth.
The large and airy second floor that was once used for indoor withering now has its beautiful wooden lattice ceiling exposed for your viewing pleasure. Natural light pours in from rows of strategically placed windows—once meant to provide natural ventilation for the tea leaves but now a modern design feature—and illuminates the rustic space. In the center, an exhibition explains the different methods used to process various types of tea.
For more information on the Daxi Tea Factory, visit their official website.
While in the area, you might consider heading further up the Northern Cross-Island Highway in the direction of Yilan to check out the waterfalls and hiking trails of the Xiao Wulai Scenic Area, or stopping by the historic Daxi Old Street to try malt peanut candy on your way back to the west coast.
