茶寿 (Cha Shou / chaju) — 108 Years of a Life Filled with Tea

茶寿 (Cha Shou / chaju) — 108 Years of a Life Filled with Tea

Tea and longevity have been intertwined since ancient times — both in China and Japan. The character 茶寿 (chá shòu / chaju) unites these two ideas into a single image: a life that flows calmly like a cup of tea and matures with time. In Japan, 茶寿 represents the celebration of the 108th birthday, where tea becomes a symbol of completion and harmony. In Chinese tradition, however, it carries a deeper, more philosophical meaning — it expresses a life filled with tea, health, and inner balance. “In tea there is longevity, and in longevity there is tea,” says an old proverb — and it is precisely this spirit that connects both cultures in celebrating the humble beauty, serenity, and long breath of life.

茶寿 in Japanese Culture

In Japanese, 茶寿 (chaju) refers to the celebration of one’s 108th birthday — a symbolic “longevity through tea.”
The character 茶 (tea) can be broken down as “十 + 十 + 八十八” (10 + 10 + 88 = 108), thus “tea = 108.”
This interpretation originated in Japan but has deeper roots in Chinese symbolism, where tea and longevity (寿) form a natural union — health, peace, and harmony.

茶寿 in Chinese Culture

1. Symbolism of the Character and the Meaning of “Tea + Longevity”

In Chinese, the term 茶寿 (chá shòu) literally means “tea longevity” or “a long life with tea.”
It is not a formal age designation as in Japan, but rather a poetic expression describing a life imbued with tea, peace, and health.

In ancient Chinese culture, people believed that:

  • Drinking tea prolongs life (饮茶延年 yǐn chá yán nián).

  • Tea purifies both body and mind, maintaining the balance of vital energy qì 气.

  • A cup of tea was considered a gift of longevity, often depicted in paintings inscribed with “茶寿无疆” – “Boundless longevity through tea.”

Therefore, 茶寿 in China is understood more philosophically — as a state of being: “to live with tea, in calm, in harmony, with the long breath of life.”

2. Historical Roots of the Connection Between Tea and Longevity

Since the Tang dynasty (7th–9th centuries), tea has been a symbol of the cultivated life.
In literature and painting, scenes of elders sitting at tea tables often appeared — not by coincidence: tea symbolized continuity of life, wisdom, and acceptance of impermanence.

For example:

  • Lu Yu (陆羽), author of the Classic of Tea (茶经 Chájīng), is revered as the “Sage of Tea” and considered a patron of longevity.

  • Poets of the Song dynasty wrote:
    “一杯春露暂留客，千载清风常满堂” — “A cup of spring dew delays the guest; for a thousand years, pure breeze fills the hall.”
    → Here, tea becomes a symbol of eternal tranquility and long life.


3. Modern Meaning in China

In modern Chinese culture, 茶寿:

  • is used as a poetic expression in literature, essays, and tea philosophy,

  • appears in the names of teahouses, blogs, and tea brands seeking to express the idea of “a long and fulfilled life,”

  • and sometimes serves as an honorary title for elder tea masters — for example:

    • “Master Zhang Tianfu, 享茶寿 (attained tea longevity)” — the renowned Chinese tea pioneer who lived to the age of 108; it is often said of him that he “fulfilled 茶寿,” the symbolic “age of tea.”

🫖 In Chinese media, the phrase “茶寿108岁” is therefore used not only literally but also symbolically — to mean “a life fulfilled through tea up to the greatest age.”

4. The Philosophy of 茶寿 – Living in the Rhythm of Tea

In the Chinese view, 茶寿 is not just a number but a state of mind:

  • 喝茶如修行 — Drinking tea is a form of spiritual practice

  • 品茶知寿 — In understanding tea, one understands longevity

  • 以茶养心 — Tea nourishes the heart

This approach embodies Taoist and Zen thought — that tea is not merely a beverage but a way of life that naturally leads to longevity.
Those who live calmly, with tea, without excess, and in respect for nature — live long.
And thus it is said:

“茶中有寿，寿中有茶” — “In tea there is longevity, and in longevity there is tea.”

China and Japan – Different Branches of the Same Root

Element Chinese Interpretation Japanese Interpretation
Meaning of 茶寿 “Longevity through tea,” poetic and philosophical Literally the 108th birthday
Focus Inner peace, health, spiritual harmony Celebration of long life, numerical symbolism
Usage Literature, tea culture, honorary titles Family celebrations, gifts, social etiquette
Connecting Element Tea as a metaphor for “a complete life” Tea as the symbol of 108 – completion of the life cycle

In Japan, 茶寿 is a number – the age of 108 years,
in China, it is more a state of the soul.
But in both traditions, the same principle remains:
tea is the key to longevity, peace, and a fulfilled life.

“Those who learn to drink tea, learn to live longer.”
– Chinese proverb (民间谚语)