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The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
S3-E31 - The “Tea Thief” - Robert Fortune's Very Brief Trip to Taiwan (1854)
Oct 19, 2023
British tea enthusiast and explorer, Robert Fortune, embarked on a secret trip to Taiwan in 1854 to learn the secrets of tea production. Despite spending only a day on the island, he made fascinating botanical discoveries and documented pre-treaty port Qing era Taiwan. This episode explores the British obsession with tea and their attempts to grow it in India. It also delves into Fortune's perilous journey to Taiwan, the endemic Fomosa Lily, the poverty in a Taiwanese town, and the subsequent boom of Taiwan's tea industry.
24:54
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Quick takeaways
- Robert Fortune's brief trip to Taiwan in 1854 provided valuable botanical discoveries like the endemic Formosa Lily and the rice paper plant.
- Robert Fortune's mission to acquire tea knowledge had significant implications for the British tea trade, allowing them to grow their own tea and reduce reliance on Chinese imports, while in Taiwan, the tea trade flourished and became a major export industry.
Deep dives
The Journey of Robert Fortune and the Search for Tea Knowledge in China
Robert Fortune, a Scotsman, embarked on a mission to collect plants in China and successfully brought back various specimens to England. However, he wanted to obtain tea plants and the knowledge to grow and process tea leaves. On his second trip to China, he disguised himself as a Chinese merchant and traveled inland to gain access to tea plants and recruit Chinese tea workers. During a brief visit to Taiwan in 1854, Fortune encountered the endemic Formosa Lily and the rice paper plant, both of which sparked botanical fascination. Fortune praised the beauty and fertility of Taiwan and suggested its potential for resource development, including coal for steamers. Despite some fears of piracy, Fortune had a positive impression of the people in Taiwan and enjoyed their hospitality.
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Discover
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