What are the Four Gentlemen among Flowers?
Today, the editor will introduce the four plants known as the "Gentlemen among Flowers" and explain the aspects of why these four are considered gentlemen. Let's follow the editor to see the specific content!
The Gentlemen among Flowers
The Gentlemen among Flowers refer to elegant plants with noble, pure, and virtuous qualities. Among them, four plants are most famous: orchids, chrysanthemums, plum blossoms, and bamboo.
Orchid
The orchid is the aristocrat of flowers, known as the "King of Orchids." It combines rich cultural connotations with superb artistic value.
The orchid has been praised for its noble character, elegant simplicity, and enduring beauty since ancient times, and is known as "orchid in poetry, orchid in painting, orchid in elegance." Orchids have been found in tombs between the Qin and Jin dynasties, indicating that they were considered treasures in ancient times. In poems and odes, orchids have been praised as "the finger of the immortal's palm, the unparalleled orchid in the world."
In ancient China, orchids were seen as symbols of purity and grace, as reflected in the poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi: "The gentleman's orchid should be quiet, the simple woman white and silent," comparing orchids to gentlemen and simple women, expressing the purity and dust-free evaluation of orchids. Thus, the image of orchids as immortals and literati has gradually become a spiritual model pursued by scholars and gentlemen.
Chrysanthemum
The chrysanthemum is known as the "Flower of Autumn" and is one of the "Eight Elegances" in ancient China, with the title of "Scholar's Flower." Chrysanthemums often bloom in autumn, complementing the cool and elegant autumn.
The contribution of chrysanthemums is not only in their beauty but also in their medicinal value. The ancients considered them a treasure that is both a medicine and a flower.
Chrysanthemums have been fully recognized in literary and artistic works and have also become topics of conversation in social settings. Historical records show that at the famous feast in the Tang Dynasty, the "Lanting Xu" (Orchid Pavilion Preface), Zheng Zhu used chrysanthemums as a topic of conversation, and the poet Zhang Ji replied with a poem titled "Chrysanthemum," perfectly expressing the beauty of chrysanthemums.
Plum Blossom
The plum blossom is also one of the Gentlemen among Flowers, known for its beauty of "writing with plum." Plum blossoms are among the first flowers to bloom in early spring, thriving in cold weather and not fearing wind and snow, with a strong vitality and extraordinary character.
It holds an important position not only in Chinese culture but also in Japanese culture, deeply integrating into people's lives.
The main characteristic of plum blossoms is their resistance to severe cold and the constant emission of a fragrant scent, with their ability to turn the decayed into the miraculous praised as the highest compliment for a gentleman's character.
The great litterateur Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty wrote: "The flowers bloom bitter, now I believe cold has no warmth. The branches add crane shadows, and the wheels look around," expressing the plum blossom's determination and tenacity in growing in desolate mountains and snow.
Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the "Four Gentlemen" and a fine plant. An ancient saying goes: "Read for one day, plant bamboo for three years; plant bamboo for a lifetime, read for three years." As a plant, bamboo is rich in connotations, with strong vitality, able to grow into a strong life in a few years after taking root.
Bamboo has been endowed with profound cultural connotations, and its popularity among the Chinese has not waned for thousands of years. It is seen as a plant with the elegance of a moxie and is very popular among scholars and gentlemen.
The famous lines by the Tang Dynasty litterateur Du Fu, "The wind blows the grass low to see cows and sheep, chant this scenery for thirty thousand times. The bamboo color is light like cinnabar, the flower branches move in the moonlight," have been passed down to this day, vividly expressing the beauty of bamboo forests and the elegance of literati.
Conclusion
Different flowers have different qualities. These four plants known as the "Gentlemen among Flowers" have such noble qualities, representing the pursuit of noble character by scholars and gentlemen. We should appreciate the beauty of these plants and the humanities they embody in our daily lives, and strive to be gentlemen with noble character and an indomitable spirit in our own lives.
The above introduction to the four plants known as the "Gentlemen among Flowers" and their aspects is provided for your comprehensive understanding and reference!