What is the representative flower of the beginning of spring?
When the handle of the Big Dipper points to Yin, what quietly sprouts on the earth is not only the seeds under the soil, but also the early spring flowers and trees known as the "envoys of the solar terms." As the first of the twenty-four solar terms, the beginning of spring carries the hope of the recovery of all things, and those spirits that bloom in the chilly wind are interpreting the aesthetics of Eastern time in a unique way. Jasminum roseum: The plant code of the twenty-four flowers is the first to make the golden bell spring. As a deciduous shrub of Oleaceae, Jasminum roseum roseum can still survive in-15℃ environments due to its super cold resistance. The differentiation of flower buds requires more than 800 hours of low-temperature vernalization. 3-5 flower buds can be differentiated at each leaf axil on the branches. More than 2000 small goose yellow flowers can bloom per square meter of crown width during the full flowering period, forming a "Golden Waterfall" landscape. The etiquette and custom of welcoming spring in ancient books,"Qi Min Yao Shu", records the custom of ancient people to plant flowers on the temples of the beginning of spring, which is called the "spring banner." In Fan Chengda's poem "The Beginning of Spring" in the Song Dynasty,"lettuce should be picked up at first, and rolls should be called couplet hairpin with rotating scissors", which is a vivid portrayal of this kind of welcoming spring ceremony. Camellia: The legendary traditional camellia variety of the Eighteen Scholars in Jinxiu Yunxia that communicates in winter and spring can be divided into two groups: East China Camellia and Yunnan Camellia. Among them, the "Eighteen Scholars" variety can open 18 different flower types at the same time. The waxy layer on the surface of its leathery leaves can withstand the low temperature of-5℃, and flower bud development needs to experience a temperature difference of more than 10℃ day and night. A living specimen of oriental aesthetics in the Ming Dynasty, Wen Zhenheng's "Changwu Annals", called camellia "an immortal among flowers." The "Eighteen Mandala Flower Hall" in Suzhou Humble Administrator's Garden was built specifically for enjoying tea. Japan regards camellia as a symbol of the spirit of Bushido, while Europe calls it the "Oriental Rose" because of its winter flowering characteristics. Narcissus: Fairy Lingbo's space-time dialogue carving and hydroponics thousand-year-old skills of Zhangzhou Narcissus carving has been included in the intangible cultural heritage. The direction of the leaves is controlled by obliquely cutting the bulbs at 45 degrees, and precise flowering control can be achieved with water temperature regulation. The Narcissuine component gives it natural anti-pest properties, but attention should be paid to the toxicity of its juice to pets. Elegant offerings from the Qing Dynasty on literati desks Since the Song Dynasty, narcissus have been a must-have offering for literati's study rooms. Yang Wanli's "immortal immortals cannot live on earth, and he also uses water to make a name" reveals his elegant temperament. The West named it "narcissus", which forms an interesting cultural echo with the Gu Ying boy in Greek mythology.
These flowers and trees at the beginning of spring are not only phenological indicators of natural rhythm, but also a living inheritance of the wisdom of Chinese time. When we stare at the first golden color of the winter jasmine, touch the thick petals of camellia, and taste the fragrance of daffodils, we are actually engaging in a dialogue of civilizations that spans thousands of years-the philosophy of life reincarnation, the unity of nature and nature Wisdom, poetry about the flow of time.