What is the symbolic meaning of plum blossoms?
Amidst the drifting snowflakes, the plum blossoms proudly bloom, carrying what cultural code? As the first among the top ten famous flowers in China, the plum not only astonishes the world with its unique feature of blooming alone in the cold but has also formed a unique system of symbols through thousands of years of cultural accumulation. Let us delve into the spiritual core of this ice and snow spirit through poetry, calligraphy, paintings, and folk traditions.
The Five Blessings of Plum Blossoms: The Millennial Legacy of Auspicious Meanings
The Auspicious Code of the Five-Petal Plum Blossom
The saying of "Five Blessing Plum" recorded in the "Plum Manual" of the Song Dynasty corresponds the five petals to five kinds of fortune: longevity, health, virtue, kindness, and a peaceful end. In the scroll painting "The Collection of Flowers" from the Ming Dynasty in the Palace Museum, the pattern of five-petal plum blossoms often appears with auspicious clouds, confirming its auspicious status in court culture.
The Auspicious Carrier of Solar Terms and Festivals
The custom of "trampling through the snow to seek plum blossoms" during the beginning of spring is still preserved in the Jiangnan region. People insert plum branches into celadon vases, symbolizing "welcoming spring safely." In the New Year flower market of Lingnan, the price of盆景 grafted with five-color plum blossoms is often high, as it symbolizes the auspicious meaning of "five blessings descending upon the door."
The Pride of Cold Plum Blossoms in Snow: The Spirit Totem That Blooms in Adversity
The Biological Characteristics of the Plum Blossom Shape Cultural Imagery
The biological feature of the plum blossom's ability to bloom at -15°C perfectly aligns with the philosophical view of "when there is no way, change; when there is change, there is a way" from the "Book of Changes." Wang Mian's "Black Plum Picture" uses dried brush strokes to represent the twisted branches, which is an artistic presentation of this tenacious vitality.
The Spiritual Symbol in Modern History
During the Anti-Japanese War, Mei Lanfang's "plum of integrity" that he planted to show his resolve, along with Zhang Daqian's "Snow Plum Picture," became a symbol of national integrity. Modern entrepreneurs often use the "plum strategy" as a metaphor for breaking through during the cold season.
Mellow Fragrance and Sparse Shadow: The Aesthetic Projection ofLiterati Spirit
The Material Expression of Reclusive Culture
The anecdote of Lin Bu's "plum wife and crane son" pushed the plum blossom to the pinnacle of reclusive culture. The " fragrant room" in Suzhou's Canglang Pavilion is created through the scent of plum blossoms to achieve the spatial artistic conception of "hiding in the world."
The Aesthetic Embodiment of a Gentleman's Personality
Zhu Xi compared the characteristic of the plum blossom's "fragrance from bitter cold" to the cultivation process of a gentleman's "hardships turning into jade." In the paintings of the扬州八怪 (Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou), the plum blossom is often depicted with a "paring down the redundancy" composition, which coincides with the Confucian moral pursuit of "restraining oneself and following rituals."
From the glazed plum patterns in the Forbidden City to the cultural logos of modern enterprises, the plum blossom has always been the spiritual mirror of the Chinese nation. In the context of cultural revival today, this ice flower that has穿越千年的 (crossed thousands of years) is interpreting the eternal value pursuit with a new posture—having both the courage to face difficulties head-on and the wisdom to dwell poetically.