Tai Ping Hou Kui name....

[Drax]

Okay, question time! Tai Ping Hou Kui, which babelcarp returns as 太平猴魁, says it means "Monkey Chief/King."

However, that's not what the symbols mean. They would mean something like "Peaceful Monkey Harbinger/Forerunner."

Meanwhile, Dragon Tea House says

The name 'Hou Kui Tea' is a combination of both its maker and producing area. The word 'Hou' refers to Hou Keng Village where the highest grade of this tea is made and the word 'Kui' refers to a tea-grower Wang Kui-cheng who made this tea by improving the processing of a local green tea 'Jian Cha' around 1900. Tai Ping monkey king become world-famous since it won gold medal in the 1915's Panama Pacific Exposition.

First question: why does this get translated as Monkey King? Does it just make it sound better?

Second question: from DTH's story, this name "Monkey King" is just "random" from the combination of two different things. Does that sound right?

Just curious about the origins of some of this stuff...!

[gingkoseto]

"tai ping" is the name of the county, and the words literally means "peace". "Hou" is from the production location, "hou keng", which literally means "monkey valley". I don't think the "kui" is from the maker's name. Very likely, the maker's name was given after the tea

Before "hou kui" got famous, there was the tea name "kui jian" and "jian cha" (pointed shape tea). Jian cha is a generally name. "kui" means the best. So the kui jian is the best of "jian cha". Then there was this "kui jian" produced from "hou keng" that got famous, hence the name "hou kui". In history, "kui jian" is used as a generally name of that kind of tea, including "hou kui".

But nowadays, only the non-hou kui is called "kui jian". Kui jian in market generally means the tea from "hou kui" tea trees, but is harvested only after the end of hou kui season. Hou kui is generally harvested between Gu Yu (Mid April) to Li Xia (early May). And the later tea leaves harvested after Li Xia is called Kui Jian (which is generally inexpensive and not sold in US).

There are also legend saying that tea from Hou Keng was once commonly called "hou cha" - Monkey Tea. Hou Kui was used to name the best of "hou cha". So I think it's proper to translate "hou kui" into "monkey king". Besides, monkey is a very positive symbol in Chinese culture. Kui means "No. 1". So the name Hou Kui or Monkey King sounds very auspicious

[Salsero]

Wow, Gingko, thanks for all the information.

So does Hou Kui mean 1st Monkey (Monkey One)?

[Drax]

Wow, Gingko, thanks for all the information.

So does Hou Kui mean 1st Monkey (Monkey One)?

Yeah, definitely, thanks gingko! +100

Hm, Monkey King, 1st Monkey.

Monkey Prime Minister.

Admiral Monkey.

Boy... that's a lot of monkeys.

[Oni]

I read somewhere that the valley is full of monkeys, and that is where this tea grows, and Kam from funalliance said that the original TPHK is 100% wild tea, and unique among top quality green teas.

[gingkoseto]

Wow, Gingko, thanks for all the information.

So does Hou Kui mean 1st Monkey (Monkey One)?

Hou Kui is literally assemble of words "Hou Keng" "Kui Jian". But when it becomes a word, it gives people an impression of "No.1 monkey"

[Salsero]

"No.1 monkey"

Thanks, that's what I thought. I think I know him.

[gingkoseto]

"No.1 monkey"

Thanks, that's what I thought. I think I know him.

That's definitely a king.