Doncha

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title: "Doncha" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["fermented-tea", "korean-tea", "ark-of-taste-foods"] description: "Coin-shaped post-fermented tea" topic_path: "geography/korea" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doncha" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Coin-shaped post-fermented tea ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox tea"]

Field	Value
Tea_name	Doncha
Tea_type	Post-fermented tea
Tea_origin	Korea
Tea_names	{{Flatlist
Tea_quick	Coin-shaped post-fermented tea
Tea_temperature	85-95 C
Tea_time	5‒10 minutes
module	{{Infobox Korean name/auto
hangul	돈차
hanja	돈茶
ipa
lk	money tea
hangul1	전차
hanja1	錢茶
lk1	money tea
ipa1
hangul2	청태전
hanja2	靑苔錢
ipa2
lk2	green moss coin
child	yes
::

::callout[type=note] Korean tea ::

| Tea_name = Doncha | Tea_type = Post-fermented tea | Tea_color = | Tea_image = | Tea_origin = Korea | Tea_names = {{Flatlist|

• Cheongtae-jeon
• jeoncha | Tea_quick = Coin-shaped post-fermented tea | Tea_temperature = 85-95 C | Tea_time = 5‒10 minutes | module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto | hangul = 돈차 | hanja = 돈茶 | ipa = | lk = money tea | hangul1 = 전차 | hanja1 = 錢茶 | lk1 = money tea | ipa1 = | hangul2 = 청태전 | hanja2 = 靑苔錢 | ipa2 = | lk2 = green moss coin |child=yes

Doncha (), or don tea, also called jeoncha (), is a coin-shaped post-fermented tea produced in Korea. The tea has been called cheongtae-jeon () in the Jangheung region in South Jeolla Province.

History

The history of doncha dates back to the era of Later Silla, when Borimsa (Borim temple) was founded. The Jangheung region in South Jeolla Province, where the temple is located, was the hub of Korean tea culture during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. 13 out of 19 daso (tea place) in Goryeo were located in the region.

Processing

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Doncha.png" caption="Freshly shaped ''doncha''"] ::

Tea leaves for doncha are hand-picked in May, from the tea plants that grow wild somewhere on the southern coast of the Korean peninsula. Although roasting is the most common method of tea processing in Korea, doncha processing starts with steaming the tea leaves. Twelve hours after the harvest, tea leaves are steamed in a gamasot, a traditional cauldron. Steamed leaves are then pounded in a jeolgu, a traditional mortar, or a maetdol, a traditional millstone. the tea is then shaped into round lumps and sun-dried. Once dried, a hole is made in the center of each lump of tea and they attain the characteristic shape of yeopjeon (coin) from which their name is derived. The tea is then fermented for at least six months as aging helps to develop an enriched flavor and aroma, though sometimes fermentation can last for over twenty years.

Preparation

A lump of doncha, about 7-9 g, can be steeped in 500-600 ml of hot water for five to ten minutes. The tea lump is often roasted on both sides over low heat before consumption. Roasting helps with sterilization of the tea leaves, as well as the development of a unique aroma and flavor. Doncha retains its aroma and flavor after re-steeping three to four times.

Use in traditional medicine

In traditional Korean medicine the tea was thought to help alleviate mild symptoms such as stomach ache, aid detoxification, reduce fever, prevent constipation, and help manage cold symptoms.

References

References

1. "doncha". [[National Institute of Korean Language]].
2. "Don Tea". [[Slow Food Foundation]].
3. "jeoncha". [[National Institute of Korean Language]].
4. link. 이. 영근. (9 April 2014). [[Maeil Business Newspaper]]
5. "Don Tea".
6. (1454). "Sejong jangheon daewang sillok – Jiriji".
7. link. 김. 성윤. (2 October 2013). [[The Chosun Ilbo]]
8. Hong Ik Jae. (2012)
9. Hong Ik Jae. (2012)
10. Hong Ik Jae. (2012)

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::