The story of Tie Guanyin, the “Iron Boddhisatva”

One night, during the first half of the Qing (清) dynasty (1644-1911), a tea farmer had an auspicious dream. He dreamt of a particularly luxuriant and fragrant tea plant. Suddenly awakened by a barking dog, the farmer still remembered where the tea bush was growing in his dream. When daylight came, he decided to look for that place. Surprisingly enough, the tea plant was there in the crack of a rock next to a mountain stream, exactly as he had dreamt. He took the plant with him, replanted it in an iron vessel and cultivated it with great care.

When brewed, its leaves resulted in an extremely fine and tasty beverage. The farmer being a devout Buddhist, used to offer every day a cup of tea to the Guanyin (观音) bodhisattva. He saw a connection between his devotion and his happy find. This is why, he decided to name the tea after the bodhisattva. “Tie” (铁) , which means iron,  comes from the vessel in which the first crop was cultivated.

This is one variant of the Tie Guanyin (铁观音) legend. In other versions of the story, the outstanding tea bush is found in the cracks of a Guanyin statue. Some say that a local official offered a sample of the tea to the imperial court, where it was tasted and appreciated by the Qianlong (乾隆) emperor, who decided on its name. The more famous, the more legends…

In more down to earth terms, Tie Guanyin’s fame and excellence come from the skills and techniques of the tea farmers from Anxi (安溪) county in Fujian (福建) province, where it is produced. Tie Guanyin is a variety of wulong tea, which is a semi-oxidised tea type and requires many complicated manufacturing processes.

Like most varieties of wulong tea, Tie Guanyin is made with big, fully developed leaves. It’s processed leaves are kneaded into the shape of a “dragonfly’s head” and have a dark green colour. When brewed, the result is an amber coloured drink. It is said that a cup of Tie Guanyin smells like an orchid. As for its flavour, it is characterized by “intensity”, “smoothness”, “sweetness” and “freshness”.

Tie Guanyin is universally considered one of China’s Ten Famous Teas. It is one of the best known and most appreciated variety of Chinese tea. Tie Guanyin is best brewed in an Yixing (宜兴) teapot and drunk in small tasting cups.

What is your experience with Tie Guanyin? How do you like to drink it?

Chinese sources: 铁观音; 安溪铁观音汤水滋味品质审评