What’s in a name?
In Chinese culture, the naming process is thoughtful and involved. Names carry historical and familial importance and are believed to influence one’s destiny. In honoring this powerful tradition, we are approaching the naming of our beloved Teahouse with honor, respect, and commitment to maintaining Lan Su’s community-centric spirit.
Drinking tea can be a special and meaningful experience for some people, while for others, it may be a chance to connect with friends and socialize. The beauty of tea is that it means different things to different people, and this diversity is what makes it so special. To celebrate this diversity and find a name for our Teahouse, we collaborated with our Lan Su community.
We actively invited members from all across the city to join our staff in brainstorming sessions to create name options. During our brainstorming sessions, three main name themes emerged.
These three themes represent the sentiments that participants felt the Teahouse embodied:
1 - Gathering Place, Being in Community, Together Experience
2 - Sense of Place, Lan Su Garden, Portland, Suzhou, Climate
3 - Relationship with Oneself, Purification, Going slow, Taking time
From these three themes, we sought the guidance and collaboration of varied Chinese-speaking scholars, academics, and community members to create two options to share with all of you.
Now, we have TWO exciting names to share with the community to let you decide!
1 七碗 — Qi Wan ‘Seven Bowls’
Inspired by the famous Tang dynasty tea poem, The Seven Bowls of Tea of The Song of Tea (in part) by Lu Tong (盧仝 790-835) beautifully illustrates the transformative journey of the seven bowls of tea and the profound effects tea has on the drinker's body and spirit. Tea represents many aspects of well-being. 七碗 — Qi Wan captures the boundless nature of tea. From herbal remedies to spiritual connection to conversation starter… tea is a unique and energetic experience.
2 雲水 — Yun Shui 'Cloud and Water'
As a place, Lan Su represents a bridge between the cultures of our Sister City, Suzhou, China and Portland, Oregon. In both places the connection to the earth and nature is paramount. 雲水 — Yun Shui captures a sense of the experience and place similar to tea. Offering the drinker the tranquility and repose that nature offers.
As a cultural destination that values curiosity and engagement, Lan Su Chinese Garden and our beautiful teahouse invite you to participate in our naming process. It’s your chance to VOTE for your favorite! To help you decide our Vice President of Culture and Community, Venus Sun, has provided us with the pronunciation of the two names. Click here to listen to the pronunciations and cast your vote.
Cast your VOTE today, Don't wait! The voting window closes at midnight Friday, May 3rd. We'll be announcing the winning name on the morning of May 8th at 10am. Please join us Wednesday May 8th to celebrate our newly named Teahouse and enjoy a cup of tea ON US - from 10am-11am. We're excited to see you and share the Lan Su Teahouse - where every cup of tea represents a unique story and every moment is shared with beloved friends.
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