中国茶文化英文介绍

　　The Chinese people, in their drinking of tea, place much significance on the act of "savoring." "Savoring tea" is not only a way to discern good tea from mediocre tea, but also how people take delight in their reverie and in tea-drinking itself. Snatching a bit of leisure from a busy schedule, making a kettle of strong tea, securing a serene space, and serving and drinking tea by yourself can help banish fatigue and frustration, improve your thinking ability and inspire you with enthusiasm. You may also imbibe it slowly in small sips to appreciate the subtle allure of tea-drinking, until your spirits soar up and up into a sublime aesthetic realm. Buildings, gardens, ornaments and tea sets are the elements that form the ambience for savoring tea. A tranquil, refreshing, comfortable and neat locale is certainly desirable for drinking tea. Chinese gardens are well known in the world and beautiful Chinese landscapes are too numerous to count. Teahouses tucked away in gardens and nestled beside the natural beauty of mountains and rivers are enchanting places of repose for people to rest and recreate themselves.

　　China is a country with a time-honored civilization and a land of ceremony and decorum. Whenever guests visit, it is necessary to make and serve tea to them. Before serving tea, you may ask them for their preferences as to what kind of tea they fancy and serve them the tea in the most appropriate teacups. In the course of serving tea, the host should take careful note of how much water is remaining in the cups and in the kettle. Usually, if the tea is made in a teacup, boiling water should be added after half of the cup has been consumed; and thus the cup is kept filled so that the tea retains the same bouquet and remains pleasantly warm throughout the entire course of tea-drinking. Snacks, sweets and other dishes may be served at tea time to complement the fragrance of the tea and to allay one’s hunger.

　　参考译文：

　　中国人饮茶， 注重一个"品"字。"品茶"不但是鉴别茶的优劣，也带有神思遐想和领略饮茶情趣之意。在百忙之中泡上一壶浓茶，择雅静之处，自斟自饮，可以消除疲劳、涤烦益思、振奋精神，也可以细啜慢饮，达到美的享受，使精神世界升华到高尚的艺术境界。品茶的环境一般由建筑物、园林、摆设、茶具等因素组成。饮茶要求安静、清新、舒适、干净。中国园林世界闻名，山水风景更是不可胜数。利用园林或自然山水间，搭设茶室，让人们小憩，意趣盎然。　　

中国是文明古国，礼仪之邦，很重礼节。凡来了客人，沏茶、敬茶的礼仪是必不可少的。当有客来访，可征求意见，选用最合来客口味的茶叶和最佳茶具待客。主人在陪伴客人饮茶时，要注意客人杯、壶中的茶水残留量，一般用茶杯泡茶，如已喝去一半，就要添加开水，随喝随添，使茶水浓度基本保持前后一致，水温适宜。在饮茶时也可适当佐以茶食、糖果、菜肴等，达到调节口味和点心之功效。

注释：

　　1.神思遐想：reverie。　　

　　2.领略饮茶情趣：take delight in tea-drinking。　　

　　3.在百忙之中泡上一壶浓茶……:这个句子较长，译者根据其意思的层次，把它分成了两个完整的句子来翻译，这样就有较大的自由度来遣词造句。　　

　　4.择静雅之处：securing a serene space。　　

　　5.细啜慢饮：imbibe slowly in small sips。　　

　　6.达到美的享受：即"享受到饮茶之美"。allure这里是名词，意为"迷人之处"，也可用beauty。　　

　　7.使精神世界升华到高尚的艺术境界：until your spirits soar up and up into a sublime aesthetic realm。　　

　　8.利用园林或自然山水间，搭设茶室：翻译时用了tucked away和nestled，比用built要形象、优美得多。　　

　　9.让人们小憩，意趣盎然:意思是"(茶室)是让人们休息、娱乐的迷人场所。"　　

　　10.礼仪之邦:即是"一个很讲究礼仪的地方"，"很重礼节"为重复，不译。　　

　　11.当有客来访：是"凡来了客人"的重复，可不译。根据下文的内容，加上before serving tea，使上下衔接贴切自然。　　

　　12.征求意见，选用最合来客口味的茶叶和最佳茶具待客：可理解为"询问来客他们最喜欢什么茶叶，然后用最合适的茶具给客人敬茶"。　　

　　13.主人在陪伴客人饮茶时：译为in the course of serving tea,与前面before serving tea相呼应。　　

　　14.主人在陪伴客人饮茶时……水温适宜：这句话较长，译者同样根据其意思的层次，把它分成了两个完整的句子来翻译。　　

　　15.随喝随添：and thus the cup is kept filled或者and in this way the cup is kept filled。　　

　　16.茶食：意思为"点心、小吃"。　　

17.达到调节口味和点心之功效："点心"为方言"点饥、充饥"的意思。

The introduction of Chinese tea

The practice of drinking tea has had a long history in China,having originated from there.The Chinese drink tea during many parts of the day such as at meals for good health or simply for pleasure.Although tea originates from China,Chinese tea generally represent tea leaves which have been processed using methods inherited from ancient China.According to popular legend,tea was discovered by Chinese Emperor Shennong in 2737 BCE when a leaf from a Camellia sinensis tree fell into water the emperor was boiling.Tea is deeply woven into the history and culture of China.The beverage is considered one of the seven necessities of Chinese life,along with firewood,rice,oil,salt,sauce[clarification needed] and vinegar.

Some writers classify tea into four categories,white,green,oolong and black.Others add categories for red,scented and compressed teas.All of these come from varieties of the Camellia sinensis plant.Chinese flower tea (花茶),while popular,is not a true tea.Most Chinese tea is consumed in China and is not exported.Green tea is the most popular type of tea used in China.

Within these main categories of tea are vast varieties of individual beverages.Some researchers have counted more than 700.Others put the number at more than 1,000.Some of the variations are due to different strains of the Camilla plant.The popular Tie Guan Yin 铁观音,for example,is traced back to a single plant discovered in Anxi 安溪 in the Fujian province.Other teas draw some of their characteristics from local growing conditions.However,the largest factor in the wide variations comes from differences in tea processing after the tea leaves are harvested.White and green teas are heat treated (shāqīng (杀青)) soon after picking to prevent oxidization,often called fermentation,caused by natural enzymes in the leaves.Oolong teas are partially oxidized.Black and red teas are fully oxidized.Other differences come from variations in the processing steps.

The Origins of Tea

While references to tea in Chinese literature go back approximately 5,000 years, the origin of tea's use as a beverage is unclear.

Ancient folklore places the creation of the brew at 2737 BC, when a camellia blossom drifted into a cup of boiled drinking water belonging to Emperor Shen Nung. However, most scholars credit a reference found in Erh Ya, an ancient Chinese dictionary, dated about 350 BC.

Originally, tea was valued for its medicinal qualities. It has long been known that tea aids in digestion, which is why many Chinese prefer to consume it after their meal. (Another interesting side effect for smokers is that tea hastens the discharge of nicotine from the body). The elevation of tea drinking to an art form began in the 8th century, with the publication of Lu Yu's "The Classic Art of Tea." The highly esteemed poet and former Buddhist priest had strict notions about the proper procedure for brewing, steeping, and serving. For example, only water from a slow-moving stream was acceptable, and the tea leaves had to be placed in a porcelain cup. The perfect milieu for enjoying the finished product was in a pavilion next to a water lily pond, preferably in the company of a desirable woman.

(To be fair, his work also contained several practical tips for manufacturing tea, many of which are still in use today).

In the centuries following the publication of Yu's work, tea's popularity spread rapidly throughout China. Not only did tea drinking become a fitting subject for books and poems; Emperors bestowed gifts of tea upon grateful recipients. Later, teahouses began dotting the landscape. While the Chinese have never developed a ritualistic ceremony surrounding tea drinking resembling the, they have a healthy respect for its role in their daily lives.

Types of Tea

Tea aficionados are often surprised to learn that all tea comes from the same source: the Camilla Sinensis bush. While there are hundreds are varieties of Chinese teas, most fall into four basic categories. Reputed to provide the most health benefits,is made from immature tea leaves that are picked shortly before the buds have fully opened.are not fermented during processing, and thus retain the original color of the tea leaves. The most famous green tea is the expensive Dragon Well tea, grown in the hillsides of Hanghou. Also known as "red tea," black teas are made from fermented leaves, which accounts for their darker color. Popular varieties of black tea include Bo lei, a Cantonese tea often drunk with, and luk on - a milder tea favored by the elderly. Finally,are partially fermented, resulting in a black-green tea. Examples of oolong tea include Soi sin, a bitter tasting brew cultivated in the Fukien province.

There is also a fourth category known as "scented teas," made by mixing various flowers and petals with green or oolong teas. The best known among these is jasmine tea. And, made with unripened tea leaves that are still covered with a downy, silvery fuzz, is becoming quite popular.

While most of us have neither a pavilion nor a lily pond conveniently situated in our back yard, we can still indulge our penchant for this centuries-old beverage. With a little practice it's easy to brew theAnd budding fortune-tellers who eschewcan hone their skills in the art of(reading tea leaves).

Chinese Tea Recipes

- a dish that originated in Beijing's Imperial Court

- In this Hunan dish duck is smoked with black tea leaves before deep-frying.

More Tea Articles....

- What is it that makes green tea so special

- Sean Paajanen, About's Guide to Coffee and Tea, explores this ancient Chinese art.

- Ever wonder why someone will tap the table three times when they want their cup refilled Learn the legend behind this charming custom.

中国茶文化英文介绍(1)