China’s Early Coffee Planting: When Did It Really Start?

When did coffee first arrive in China? The standard answer—1908—is wrong. A cluster of living coffee trees over a century old in Hainan prove the real start was a decade earlier. These trees aren’t just relics; they rewrite the timeline of coffee in China.

The earliest confirmed coffee planting in Hainan happened in 1898, not 1908. This date comes from living 80–100 year old coffee trees and oral histories backed by physical evidence, including a 90-year-old tree still bearing fruit.

Rediscovering Hainan’s First Coffee Trees

For decades, records claimed coffee reached Hainan in 1908. But in 2009, researchers found 12 original coffee trees planted in 1898 by (Kwong Sai-lin), who brought seeds back from Malaysia. His grandson, (Kwong Ki-ping), confirmed three of those trees survived until at least 2000, with trunks measuring 46.5–77 cm in circumference. One surviving tree, now around 90 years old, has a 77 cm trunk (hollowed by termites but alive) and produces large Liberica beans—2.3 cm long, 1.8 cm wide.

The site was later cleared, but a stump regrew shoots with 22 cm girth and healthy leaves. Local accounts and a 1981 Hainan Daily article describe one “coffee tree king” with 83 years of growth (planted in 1898), producing abundant fruit until recent decades. This tree alone yielded 6,700+ lbs of cherries over its life, peaking at 180 lbs in 1957.

Early Records of Coffee in Hainan

Historical documents confirm coffee arrived in Hainan no later than 1908, but the 1898 planting predates official records. Key sources include:

• Guangdong Provincial Annals: Agricultural Reclamation (1908): Records a failed 150,000-tree planting by merchant (Tseng Wang-yuan) in Danzhou, later wiped out by frost. Later efforts included 10,000+ trees by (Mao Yuan Co.) in Wenchang (1930) and 300,000 by (Qiao Xing Co.) in Danzhou (1934). By the 1950s, only ~500 acres remained, mostly in Chengmai (Fushan area).
• 1956 Hainan Tropical Resource Survey: Notes Taiwan’s first coffee trial in 1884, but Hainan’s began in 1908 with multiple companies importing Liberica, Robusta, and Arabica. Post-1925, scattered plantings in Wenchang and other regions struggled without management. By the 1950s, Fushan (Chengmai) was the main production hub.

(Chen Xianzhang): The Father of China’s Coffee Industry

The first to industrialize coffee in China was (Chen Xianzhang), an Indonesian Chinese who founded commercial farms in Hainan (1935–1953). He introduced high-quality cultivation and export-ready practices, creating the iconic “Fushan Coffee” brand.

• In 1935, Chen bought 1,400+ acres in Fushan (Dongjia Village) and built (Chengmai Fumin Farm), planting Liberica coffee suited to the local climate. By 1942, the farm harvested 8,000+ lbs of beans, sold across China.
• His success inspired other investors (1937–1938), but most fled due to WWII. Chen’s farm endured, growing to 1,100 acres with 12,500 producing trees by 1950.
• Later, he consulted for (Xinglong Overseas Chinese Farm), supplying 3,500+ lbs of coffee seeds and other crops. Fumin Farm became a seed source for early Hainan coffee expansion.

Chen’s family recalls his hands-on work: his wife and 19 children (including 13 sons) helped manage farms, and workers earned modest wages. Despite political persecution in later years, his contributions established Hainan as China’s first functional coffee region.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was coffee first planted in Hainan?

Coffee was first planted in Hainan in 1898 by (Kwong Sai-lin), who brought seeds from Malaysia. This predates the previously accepted date of 1908. Living trees from that planting, some over 100 years old, still exist.

What kind of coffee was first grown in Hainan?

The earliest coffee planted in Hainan was (Liberica coffee), specifically the Liberica variety. Later plantings included Robusta and Arabica , but Liberica dominated the initial and surviving trees.

Who was (Chen Xianzhang) and why is he important?

(Chen Xianzhang) was an Indonesian Chinese pioneer who founded the first commercial coffee farms in Hainan (1935–1953). He introduced organized cultivation, exported coffee, and created the “Fushan Coffee” brand, making him the “father of China’s coffee industry.”

What happened to the original coffee trees planted in 1898?

Of the original 12 coffee trees planted in 1898, some survived until at least 2000, including one 90-year-old tree still producing large Liberica beans. Most were cut down in 2000, but a stump regrew shoots that are now 22 cm in girth.

Where was the first successful coffee farm in China?

The first successful commercial coffee farm was (Chengmai Fumin Farm), founded in 1935 by (Chen Xianzhang) in Fushan, Hainan. It produced high-quality Liberica coffee for domestic markets starting in the 1940s.

Why was coffee farming abandoned in some areas after 1930?

Many early coffee farms failed due to poor management, frost damage (1916), WWII Japanese occupation, and post-war political instability. Without care, most plantings died or became wild, except for ’s Fushan farm and a few scattered survivors.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee History Fans

Explore Hainan’s coffee legacy with FrontStreet’s Yunnan Arabica, a balanced single origin with notes of dark chocolate and dried fruit—similar to historic Liberica profiles. For a modern take, try our Ethiopia Huakui (Sidamo), offering floral brightness like early Arabica imports. Both beans highlight the diversity that shaped China’s coffee journey. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.