Meet Xiaguan Tuo Cha - Iconic Tea Company

Xiaguan Tuo Cha (下关沱茶) is one of the largest and most respected tea companies in China.  Its name derives from its place of origin:  Xiaguan Sub-District, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan.  It is best known for it’s ‘tuo’ (bird’s nest) shaped pu er tea. 

Solid Advice from an Old Friend.

A few years ago, my old friend Zhang Tao said:  ‘if you really want to know Chinese tea, you can’t focus only on micro-producers; you should also study some of the iconic companies in China’.  Not only did he offer this solid advice, but he also kindly introduced me to Mr. Chu Jiuyun, the current general manager at Xiaguan.

I owe this newsletter to both Zhang and Chu, as well as the hospitality of the Xiaguan team that gave me a tour of their headquarters in 2023.

History, in Brief:

• 1902: the Xiaguan Tea Factory (originally called "Fohai Tea Factory") was established in Xiaguan, a key trade hub in Yunnan.The factory specialized in processing tea for transport along the Ancient Tea Horse Road, supplying Tibetan, Mongolian, and Central Asian markets.
• 1949:  after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the factory was nationalized and became Yunnan Xiaguan Tea Factory.

• 1950s-60s:  Xiaguan Tuo Cha was a primary supplier of compressed pu er to Tibet, where it became an essential staple. The strong, smoky character of Xiaguan’s tea proved to be popular with Tibetans.

• 1973:   scientists from both Xiaguan and Menghai Tea companies played a crucial role in the development of modern shou (ripe) pu er. One of its most iconic products (Xiao Fa Tuo) was created specifically to be exported to France.

• By the late 20th century, the famous “Song He” (松鹤, Pine & Crane) logo was adopted as the factory’s symbol, marking its high-quality tuo cha.