The Language and Symbolism of Marigolds
In节日庆典 and cemetery memorial scenes, one can always see the golden marigolds swaying gracefully. This flower, which carries both auspicious wishes and remembrance of the deceased, hides what cultural codes? Let's dispel the historical mysteries and decipher its unique symbolic system.
Decoding the Quadruple Language of Marigolds
Ode to Life: The Miracle of Blossoming in Adversity
The ability of marigolds to bloom in poor soil makes them a symbol of vitality. The "Flower谱" of the Ming Dynasty recorded their characteristic of becoming more beautiful during droughts, and modern research has confirmed that their roots can secrete antibacterial substances. This innate defense mechanism is like the wisdom of the elders who have experienced many years.
Tie of Friendship: Unfading Commitment
In Mexican tradition, marigolds are known as the "Flower of the Day of the Dead," where the living use the flower stems to build a bridge between the living and the dead. This emotional connection across time and space has evolved into a token of friendship for modern people, and their dried form still retains a bright and vibrant characteristic, symbolizing enduring friendship.
Spectrum of Love: From Passionate to Vigilant
The red varieties are rich in lutein, and the stability of their pigments symbolizes unwavering loyalty. In the wedding customs of the Indochinese Peninsula, the bride's bouquet must be adorned with nine marigolds, symbolizing 'long waiting.' The exchange of orange flowers during separation originated from the custom of wives using their petals to calculate the return time during the era of navigation.
The Cultural Genes Behind the Legend
Story of Rename: The Victory of Linguistic Aesthetics
The legend of the county government renaming during the Jiajing period reflects the phenomenon of folk linguistic worship. The transition from 'Stinking flower' to 'Marigold' is not only due to dialectal homophones but also includes the taboo psychology of vulgar words. This process of linguistic purification is similar to the change of 'Deer leek' to 'Peony'.
Symbol Evolution: From Practical to Symbolic
Early agricultural books classified them as medicinal plants, and Li Shizhen recorded their efficacy in treating eye diseases. With the development of gardening art during the Ming and Qing dynasties, breeders cultivated double-petaled varieties, completing the identity leap from medicinal garden to courtyard. Modern genetic sequencing has found that the terpene compound content in ornamental varieties is reduced, confirming the重塑 of cultural images by artificial selection.
When we gaze at the velvet petals of marigolds, we are actually reading a history of plant civilization. From the Day of the Dead in Mexico to the longevity banquets in the East, this plant crosses geographical boundaries and plays multiple roles in the human emotional expression system. It carries not only beautiful wishes but also the common pursuit of the essence of life by different civilizations.