The Relation between Tea and Female

The botanical name of tea was redefined as Camellia Sinensis in 1956. In 250 years before that year, the botanical name of tea was Thea Sinensis. The change of the name might be for memory of the German botanist Goerg Josef Kamel who was the first person describing the tea plant in the western world.

As a flower, Camellia symbolizes love, devotion, affection, and admiration and so on. As a girl’s name, Camella or Camille stands for a lady of noble temperament. The old name Thea Sinensis is even more linked with female. In the Latin language and culture, Thea is the Greek Goddess of light and sight. Sinensis means China. So, tea is actually the goddess from China in Latin. I must say Greeks are so romantic but any way, this is amazing because it’s perfectly compatible with the role of tea in the Chinese culture.     There are so many legends about tea which are related to the female celestials in China. For example, a famous oolong tea is called Tie Guanyin because it has a story of Guanyin, who is a Bodhisattva in Buddhism, usually showing a female image, and helping prayers from hardship. She also symbolizes mercy and light.    No matter in western culture or in eastern culture, tea is closely linked with female. Surprisingly, these names and symbols share the same connotation. Is it just a coincidence? Perhaps it is, but the truth is often revealed by coincidence.