“白茶”语源考

Research on the Etymology of"White Tea"

目前对“白茶”命名的溯源主要有茶叶成品的外观含有白毫;茶树的品种;古籍记载泡出“青白”茶色的茶,即为白茶;陆羽《茶经》的记载等4个角度。文章分析白茶命名之源分歧的主要原因:一是对“白”的语素义的理解,停留在固有的层面,受“白色”这一常用义的制约;二是受“白茶”品类名称,如“白毫银针”“白牡丹”等的影响;三是忽视词义发展的历史层次,将“白茶”一词不同时代的意义混为一体。经考证,始于南北朝时期“白”字的“不外加什么东西”这一引申义已广泛使用,而在闽方言中普遍保留着这一用法。闽东方言里,把直接晒干的方法叫“白曝”,即发端于南北朝的“白晒”一词。结合白茶的制作工艺,认为白茶命名之源当是将“白晒的茶”叫“白茶”。

At present,the origin of the name of"white tea"mainly includes:the appearance of the finished tea products containing pekoe;cultivars of tea plants;According to ancient books recording that white tea is the color of"green and white"tea;Lu Yu's records in the book of"Tea Classic".This paper analyzed the main reasons for the differences in the naming of white tea naming.First,the understanding of the morpheme meaning of"white"stays at the inherent level,which is restricted by the common meaning of"white";Second,it is influenced by the category names of"white tea",such as"Baihao silver needle"and"white peony";Third,ignore the historical level of word meaning development and mix the meaning of"white tea"in different times.After textual research,the extended meaning of"nothing added"of"Bai"which began in the Northern and Southern Dynasties has been widely used,but this usage is generally retained in Fujian dialect.In the eastern Fujian dialect,the method of direct drying is called"Bai exposure",which is the word"Bai exposure"originated in the Northern and Southern Dynasties.Combined with the production technology of white tea,the source of the naming of white tea should be to called"white sun dried tea"white tea.