Alternative and Elegant Names for Flowers
In the long river of Chinese civilization with a history of 5,000 years, flowers are not only the sprites of the natural world but also living fossils that carry cultural passwords. Behind each alias of a flower, there are hidden poetic allusions, regional characteristics, and human sentiments, which together form a unique system of plant cultural symbols.
Cultural Imprints of Imperial Flowers
Peony: The Nine Layers of Spring Color Dazzle Chang'an
As a flower used by the Tang Dynasty court, the peony has more than 20 historical names.『 百两金 』from "Compendium of Materia Medica" records its medicinal value,『 鹿韭 』originates from its leaf shape characteristics. The "Peony Ode" by Shu Yuanyu in the Tang Dynasty established its position as the『 King of Flowers 』with the lines『 The color of the country is醉in the morning, and the fragrance of heaven colors the clothes at night,『 and there are still 12 ancient peonies over a thousand years old in the Luoyang Shenzhou Peony Garden.
Rose: The四季Long明 Palace Lamp艳
The "New谱 of the Rose" from the Song Dynasty records its『 Month Month Red 』characteristics, and the "Group谱" by Wang Xiangjin in the Ming Dynasty first used the name『 Evergreen Flower 』. Modern horticulturists have bred more than 30,000 varieties of roses through genetic improvement, and the Beijing Botanical Garden Rose Garden covers an area of 7 hectares, showcasing famous domestic and foreign products throughout history.
The Spiritual Totem of Literati and Poets
Orchid: The Fragrance of the Empty Valley Infiltrates the Poetic Heart
Qu Yuan's『 Xian秋兰以为佩 』initiated the orchid culture with the "Jin Zhang Lan谱", a systematic record of 32 varieties. The name『 Xiangzu 』first appeared in the "Qing Yi Record", and the Canglang Pavilion in Suzhou still has orchids planted by the Ming Dynasty literati Wen Zhengming, which are still flowering.
Plum Blossom: Ice Muscle and Jade Bone See Spirit
Lin Bao's『 Mei Qi Hezi 』allusion achieves the『 Flower Champion 』beauty, and the Yuan Dynasty Wang Mian首创墨梅 painting method. Modern molecular biology research发现 that the plum blossom cold resistance gene HARDY can withstand -15℃ low temperature, there are 137 varieties in Nanjing Plum Blossom Mountain, and the early flowering variety『 Dan Zhuang Gong Fen『 can bloom in December.
Nature Spirits Between Mountains and Water
Azalea: The Red Cloud Reflects the Layered Forest
Li Bai's "Xuancheng Sees Azalea" endows the『 Flower Western施『with poetic rhyme, and modern botanical classification confirms that there are more than 960 species of rhododendron in the world. A rhododendron king over 600 years old was discovered in Gaoligong Mountain, Yunnan, with a base diameter of 3.7 meters and a flowering period that can bloom 40,000 flowers at the same time.
Narcissus: The Grace of Lu Shen's Light Step on the Water
The shape『 Jin Zhan Yin Tai 』is already recorded in the "Nanyang Shi Zhu" from the Song Dynasty, and the narcissus carving technique in Zhangzhou is included in the intangible cultural heritage list. Alkaloids such as narcissus alkaloids have pharmacological value, but the bulbs, if eaten by mistake, can cause neurological symptoms.
From the imperial gardens to the studies of literati, from the mountains and streamsides to the gardens of the common people, the elegant names of flowers carry the unique aesthetic philosophy of the Chinese nation. These plant codes that traverse time and space are both natural gifts and living heritage of cultural genes, worthy of our continued tasting and guarding in modern life.