Recently I was consulting a book about teahouses in China, a book called 'Neo-Chinese Style Tea Houses' (published by ArtPower). It is a design book, mainly for architects as it contains project names, style typologies, designers and plenty of photographs of the tea houses. I was confused by something else, however. And maybe this is the appropriate place to ask the question.
In the book I came across a lot of interesting names of the tea-houses, such as:
* Lu Zi Yun Tea Club (in Fuzhou)
* Sunyard Art Club (in Hangzhou)
* Shui Zhu Gong Fu Tea Club (in Fujian)
* Seven Cups of Tea Club (in Liaoning)
What strikes me is the use of the word 'club' in the names of the tea-houses. Translations are always a difficult thing between Chinese and English. (Once I was in a village in China, at a restaurant that said 'Chicken' as the name of the restaurant, but they never served chicken but something else. I found out via my translator that they simply put their Chinese character in a translation machine and 'Chicken' appeared, but it is not what the Chinese character said).
So, my question is quite simple: how do I need to interpret the idea of 'club' in these names. Are they simple 'Google-Translate' translations that translates a Chinese word simply in the english word 'club', but is there a different meaning behind it (e.g. as 'exclusive' or 'we are only serving this or that tea from our region')? Or should I indeed interpret it as a 'club' with subscriptions and a place for members only?
Would be pleased with someone who could enlighten me here.
Kirsten
