How Coffee First Came to China

You’ve heard of the Silk Road and tea exports, but when did coffee — that global favorite — arrive in China? And more importantly, who were the first to drink it, how was it introduced, and where was it first grown? These aren’t just trivia: they trace how a foreign drink became part of modern Chinese life.

Coffee wasn’t known in China during the early Qing Dynasty — the 1716 Kangxi Dictionary doesn’t include the characters , , or . The earliest verified Chinese use of the word “” appeared in the 1915 , defining it as “a Western beverage like our tea, called Coffee in English.”

The First Mentions and Early Tastes

There’s no solid evidence that coffee was drunk in China during the mid-Qing era, though it may have existed. What we do know is that by the Jiaqing era (1796–1820), foreigners in Guangzhou — then China’s largest trading port — were already brewing and drinking coffee they brought with them. Local observers noted that these foreigners drank a “black wine” after meals, believed to aid digestion. Based on descriptions in the , this was likely coffee.

The first known Chinese-language book to mention making coffee was the 1866 (Cookbook for Foreign Food), compiled by American missionary wife Mrs. G.P. Crawford in Shanghai. It gave instructions in Chinese for roasting and brewing coffee, using the transliteration “.” The book directed users to roast coffee beans over high heat, stir constantly, then let them cool before storing in a bottle. When ready to drink, the roasted beans were to be ground fresh and brewed with water — though oddly, it didn’t mention adding sugar. Chinese cooks employed to prepare Western food for foreigners were likely among the first locals to taste coffee.

The Arrival of Coffeehouses

The first coffeehouses or cafés in China likely emerged in the late Qing Dynasty. According to Xu Ke, a writer from the late Qing and early Republican period, Western-style coffee shops — similar to local teahouses — appeared in cities like Tianjin and Shanghai, opened by Chinese proprietors copying foreign models. These venues also sold sweets to go with the drinks. While Xu’s work draws on earlier records, the term “” had already been printed in the 1915 , and was further defined in the 1930s dictionary. By the Republican era, coffee had firmly entered the Chinese lexicon, and coffee drinking became more visible in urban centers.

When and Where Coffee Was First Grown in China

The history of coffee cultivation in China is murkier. Common sources claim that coffee was introduced to Taiwan in 1884 and Hainan in 1908, later spreading to Yunnan, Guangxi, and Fujian. However, these accounts lack primary sources or citations, and searches in historical texts like the , , , , , and found no mention of coffee planting or production. Similarly, 19th-century Western scientific works such as ’s and ’s make no reference to coffee in China.

The most reliable account traces the first cultivation to Yunnan province in the early 1900s. A French missionary is said to have brought coffee seedlings to Binchuan County in Dali Prefecture, Yunnan. Given Yunnan’s subtropical and tropical climate — and its proximity to French-controlled Indochina — this introduction is considered credible. By the 1920s–1930s, coffee was definitely being cultivated on mainland China. During Japan’s colonial rule of Taiwan (1895–1945), coffee was actively promoted as a cash crop to replace sugarcane and rice. Between 1932 and 1942, coffee cultivation area in Taiwan increased significantly. Meanwhile, coffee farming also spread in Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan. Post-liberation, coffee growing continued to expand.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was coffee first mentioned in Chinese historical records?

The first verified use of the Chinese word “” appeared in the 1915 , which defined it as a Western beverage similar to tea. Earlier dictionaries like the 1716 do not include the characters , , or , indicating coffee was unknown in early Qing times.

Who were the first people in China to drink coffee?

The first coffee drinkers in China were likely foreigners in Guangzhou during the Jiaqing era (1796–1820), who brewed coffee they brought with them. Some Chinese kitchen staff trained to cook Western food for foreigners may have been among the first locals to taste it, as recorded in the 1866 , which included instructions for brewing coffee using the term “.”

When did coffeehouses appear in China?

Coffeehouses resembling Western cafés likely emerged in the late Qing Dynasty, with written references from the early Republican period noting their presence in cities like Tianjin and Shanghai. These were modeled after teahouses and also served sweets. The term “” was widely printed by the 1910s and defined in dictionaries by the 1930s.

Where was coffee first grown in China?

The earliest reliable cultivation occurred in Yunnan province in the early 1900s, when a French missionary introduced coffee seedlings to Binchuan County in Dali Prefecture. Later records show coffee was planted in Taiwan (starting 1884), Hainan (1908), and other regions like Guangxi and Fujian, though these are not fully documented in contemporary sources.

Was coffee grown in China during the Qing Dynasty?

There is no definitive evidence that coffee was cultivated in China during the Qing Dynasty. Historical texts from the 18th and 19th centuries do not mention coffee plantations. The first domestic cultivation is traced to the early 1900s in Yunnan.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee History Fans

Explore the origins of coffee with FrontStreet’s Yirgacheffe, known for its bright citrus and floral tones, and Ethiopia Huakui, offering juicy blueberry and delicate spice. For a deeper profile, try Yunnan Arabica, showcasing the local terroir with chocolatey and nutty notes. These beans reflect the diverse flavours that made coffee a global favourite. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.