Hwagae

Hwagae-myeon (the Hwagae township within Hadong County) is the historical sub-region around Ssanggye Temple where Korean tea cultivation is believed to have begun in 828 CE. The misty, humid valley where the Seomjin River meets the Hwagae Stream suits Camellia sinensis var. sinensis; wild tea bushes that survived 1,100+ years still grow on the surrounding slopes. Hwagae's wild-bush Ujeon and Sejak grades are widely considered the most prestigious Korean teas; the next tier is the semi-wild bushes ("children" of the wild ones).