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1. "Ghooi Sayings" - - Dream of Guan Yin

According to the legend, before the year of 1720, there was an old farmer who named Wei Yin (1703-1775) in a village in AnXi. He was a very hardworking man. He believed in Buddhism and respected to Guan Yin. He was a sincere prayer. One night, he dreamed that he was carrying a hoe walking along a stream where he found a unique tea plant which grew between the cracks of a rock. He had never seen this type of plant.

He woke up second morning. He then followed the path that was in his dream. To his surprise, he saw that exact plant which was in his dream. That plant was special as it had thick leaves and edges of the leaves was in slightly reddish. He was very happy and planted in his house. He took very good care of this plant and because this dream was given to him by Guan Yin, so Tieh Kuan Yin got its name here.

2. "Wang Sayings" - - Name Given by Qian Long

There was an officer in olden time who named “Wang Tu Ran”, he ever built the library in Nan Shan which given name as “Nan Shuan”. During Qing Dynasty by emperor Qian Long (1736 year) summer time, Wang met his friends in Nan Shuan every sunset.

One day, he realized that there was a tree which different from others, so he transplanted it in a garden in the Nan Shuan. He took very good care on it. The tree was then flourishing, stout and strong. It tasted nice and good. During Qian Long Sixth Year (Qing Dynasty), he was asked to meet the emperor. He then promoted the tea drink to Fang Bao (guard of emperor). Fao Bao then introduced to emperor. After drinking, the emperor found it was a very nice tea. Then the tea became famous. As the tea taste was very heavily like iron and its shape pretty as like Guan Yin, so the emperor gave name as “Tieh Guan Yin” which means “Iron Guan Yin”.

There are other tales which similar to two tales above. However, all the tales have a common ground which is the tea trees are related to Guan Yin, so the tea has the name of Guan Yin. Regarding the word-Tieh (iron), there are two explanations: one is the color of the tea leaves directed to sunshine looked similar to brown color. The second explanation is the tea after fermented, its color like iron color which is brown.