茶名释考——兼谈西南各族对中国茶业的贡献

On the Contributions to Chinese Tea Industry by the Southwestern Ethnic Groups in China by Virtue of Analysis on Traditional Tea Names

唐代以前,"茶"有诸多异名,如"荼""槚""荈""蔎""茗"等。前人通常都是凭借音韵、文字、训诂等传统办法,去考订这些异名的来历,及其能指与所指,却疏于关注到这些异名乃是来自西南各民族的传统语词,更忽略了西南各族人民对中国茶业兴盛所做出的贡献。借助民族学的文化生态分析手段表明,这些异名受到茶叶原产地生态环境与民族文化的双重影响,而具备了各不相同的"农艺"内涵。这样的差异不仅在古代有着重要的历史意义,对支撑今天我国茶产业的辉煌,也可发挥不可替代的关键作用。

Before Tang Dynasty(618-907), there were many different names for tea, such as "Tu"(荼), "Jia"(槚), "Chuan"(荈), "She"(蔎), and "Ming"(茗). Almost all researches on origins of these ancient names,and their signification and signal, resort to traditional Chinese phonology, graphology and exegetics. By virtue of cultural-ecological analytical method, it can draw conclusions that these ancient names were actually derived from different languages of southwestern ethnic minorities in China, and gained different agronomic connotation under the dual influences of both ecological environment and ethnic culture of tea from different regions. Obviously, contributions to ancient prosperous tea industry in China made by people from southwestern ethnic groups should never be forgotten. Furthermore, the new researches may also play an irreplaceable key role to support Chinese tea industry in modern times and in future.