Chinese National State Council granted Yuan Nan Simao city to change its name to Pu’er. Why? Via China Daily:
What’s in a name? That question was asked of a person, but it could also be of a place. Anyway, some people are scratching their heads over why the city of Simao in Yunnan Province will take on the new moniker Pu’er coming April.
The raison d’tre is simple and straightforward: The city is best known for Pu’er tea, with half its workforce in the business. Historically, the place was named Pu’er because it has the Pu’er Mountain where the choice tea is grown.
These are reasons legitimate enough on condition that local people back the idea. However, it does not take a rocket scientist, or a cultural historian for that matter, to know that, for all the justifications, the name change is one of practicality: A place name is the brand name of the place. Why hammer an unfamiliar name into the consciousness of outsiders when you are readily associated with a fine product category?
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Read the Chinese article here.
( Photo of tourists drinking Pu’er tea in Yunnan)
