When Was Coffee First Planted in Hainan? New Evidence Points to 1898

When did coffee first arrive in Hainan? For decades, official records claimed 1908. But a 100-year-old coffee tree still growing in Wenchang proves the truth: coffee reached Hainan a full decade earlier, in 1898. This article digs into the forgotten evidence—living trees, family stories, and old newspaper reports—that rewrites Hainan’s coffee origin story.

The earliest confirmed coffee planting in Hainan happened in 1898, not 1908. A descendant of the planter still tends descendants of those original 12 coffee trees, and a living tree over 90 years old stands as proof.

The 1898 Coffee Planting: A Family’s Eyewitness Account

Kwong Chi-Ping, a 79-year-old resident of Shirenpo Village in Wenchang, shared a detailed account of his grandfather’s journey. In 1898, his grandfather, Kwong Sai-Lien, returned from Malaysia to Hainan with 12 coffee seeds after an unsuccessful stay abroad. These seeds were planted at the family home, and three of those original trees still stood in 2009, with trunk circumferences measuring 46.5 cm, 49.5 cm, and an impressive 77 cm. One of the trees, now hollowed out by termites but still alive, is estimated to be around 90 years old.

Kwong Chi-Ping recalled playing under these trees as a child, indicating they were already mature before his birth. His relatives, Kwong Cheung-Yat and Kwong Cheung-Chui, added that 12 original trees were cut down in 2000 during house construction, but a stump left behind sprouted new growth. That regrowth, over eight years old at the time, had a trunk circumference of 22 cm, leaves measuring 32 cm by 13 cm, and produced large coffee cherries. The beans inside measured 2.3 cm long and 1.8 cm in diameter, characteristic of the Liberica variety.

Historical Records Confirm an Earlier Introduction

While many historical texts, including the 《Guangdong Provincial Annals: Agricultural Reclamation Annals》, state that coffee was first planted in Hainan in 1908 by overseas Chinese merchant Tseng Wang-Yuan in Dan County, other records and physical evidence point to an earlier date. The same annals do document subsequent coffee planting efforts through the 1910s–1930s, including the establishment of farms by the Mouyuan Company in Wenchang in 1930 and the Kuei Hsing Company in Dan County in 1934, which planted 10,000 and 300,000 trees respectively. But the 1898 planting predates them all.

In addition, a 1981 《Hainan Daily》 report featured a photo essay on a “coffee tree king” in Shirenpo, described as 83 years old at the time—placing its planting year around 1898. The tree, tended by Kwong Chi-Ping’s family, had been producing heavily for decades, yielding up to 180 jin (90 kg) of cherries in its best year (1957) and maintaining an average of over 70 jin even through tough conditions. This tree, a Liberica variety, became a local source of seeds for other farmers across Hainan.

Chen Hsien-Chang: The Man Who Industrialized Hainan Coffee

Beyond these early plantings, one man stands out in Hainan’s coffee history: Chen Hsien-Chang, an Indonesian Chinese immigrant who pioneered commercial coffee farming in the 1930s–1950s. In 1935, after researching suitable land across Hainan, he purchased over 1,400 acres in Fushan and founded the Fumin Farm, growing the first significant coffee estate in the region. By 1942, his farm yielded over 4,000 kg of coffee, and the “Fushan Coffee” brand gained regional fame.

Chen’s success attracted other investors, leading to a brief coffee boom in the late 1930s, with companies like the Hong Kong-based Hainan Company and American-owned Wei Chang Company establishing operations. Though many left due to the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chen’s Fumin Farm endured for 15 years until liberation in 1950, by which time it had 1,100 acres under cultivation and 12,500 productive coffee trees.

Later, Chen was invited to consult on the Xinglong Farm in Wanning, where he supplied over 1,500 kg of coffee seeds along with other crops, helping establish coffee production in that region too. His work laid the foundation for Hainan’s later coffee industry, and some of his original plants became parent stock for other farms.

His family recounted that he managed multiple farms with over a dozen children involved, paid workers fair wages, and even faced imprisonment during political campaigns in the 1950s. He passed away in Guangzhou in 1969 at around 88 years old. His legacy, however, lived on in the trees and the farmers he inspired.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was coffee first planted in Hainan?

Coffee was first planted in Hainan in 1898, not 1908 as commonly recorded. This is supported by the existence of 100-year-old coffee trees descended from the original 12 seeds brought back by Kwong Sai-Lien.

What variety was the original Hainan coffee?

The original 1898 coffee and its living descendants are of the Liberica variety (Coffea liberica), known for large beans and bold flavour. Some later plantings included Robusta and Arabica varieties, but Liberica dominated early Hainan cultivation.

Who was Chen Hsien-Chang and what did he do for Hainan coffee?

Chen Hsien-Chang was an Indonesian Chinese immigrant who, starting in 1935, established the first commercial coffee farm in Fushan, Hainan. His Fumin Farm produced thousands of kilograms of coffee and helped launch Hainan’s coffee export industry. He also consulted on other farms, supplying seed stock and expertise.

Are there any original 1898 coffee trees still alive?

Yes. As of 2009, several descendants of the original 12 coffee trees planted in 1898 were still growing in Shirenpo Village, Wenchang. One living tree was estimated to be around 90 years old, with a trunk circumference of 77 cm, still bearing fruit.

Where was coffee grown in Hainan during the early 20th century?

Early coffee was grown in areas such as Shirenpo (Wenchang), Fushan (Chengmai), Nada (Dan County), and later expanded to Xinglong (Wanning). The Fushan region became especially well-known for its coffee production in the 1940s and 1950s.

What happened to Hainan’s early coffee farms?

Many early farms were abandoned due to natural disasters, war, and political changes. Some, like Chen Hsien-Chang’s Fumin Farm, were nationalised and became state-run plantations. Others served as seed sources for new farms. Coffee farming declined but later saw a revival.

FrontStreet Coffee Beans Linked to Hainan’s Coffee Legacy

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