The Language and Symbolism of Daylilies
As the "forget-worry grass" in Chinese traditional culture, daylilies carry the cultural code of thousands of years. This orange-red flower not only adorns the midsummer courtyard but also weaves unique emotional symbols in poetry and songs. From the "Book of Songs" to modern horticulture, daylilies have always been expressing the unique emotional philosophy of the East with their gentle posture.
The Cultural Symbol System of Daylilies
Analysis of Triple Emotional Code
1. The Resignation of Love: The day and night opening and closing characteristics of daylily petals coincide with the life wisdom of "letting go of attachments". Ancient people connected this with emotional healing, as Su Shi's "Although daylilies are small flowers, their solitary elegance can uplift themselves" indicates.
The Millennium Legacy of the Mother Flower
2. Symbol of慈母 (filial mother): Since Meng Jiao's "The Wandering Son" in the Tang Dynasty, daylilies officially became a term for mothers. Their warm orange-red color symbolizes the warmth of a mother's love, and the upright stem symbolizes the resilience of motherhood, forming the unique cultural image of "Beitang daylily".
The Legends of Daylilies in the Long River of History
The Herbal Code of Chen Sheng's Uprising
Before the Great泽乡 Uprising at the end of the Qin Dynasty, Chen Sheng suffered from severe edema due to long-term hunger. The Huang family, mother and daughter, used daylily roots as a therapeutic food, and he recovered in three days. This legend of "the forget-worry grass saving a hero" testifies to the characteristic of daylilies being both food and medicine.
The Emotional Carrier of Literary Scholars
Bai Juyi compares it with the wine god in "Du Kang can dispel boredom, daylilies relieve forgetfulness", and Li Qingzhao uses the flower to express her feelings in "The scent of silk socks in front of the daylily fence", forming a unique group of literary images of daylilies.
The Value of Daylilies in Modern Contexts
In modern horticulture, there are already over 80,000 varieties of daylilies, and their cold-resistant characteristics have made them a new favorite for urban greening. The sales volume of daylily bouquets for Mother's Day increases by 35% annually, with traditional culture continuing in new forms. Research has found that daylily roots contain colchicine, and their medicinal value continues to be explored.
From courtyard ornamental to emotional sustenance, daylilies have always played the role of cultural messengers. This flower that carries the wisdom of the East is blooming in the collision of tradition and modernity, becoming a biological code to decipher the emotional philosophy of China.