The proud plum blossoms

The silence of winter has not yet awakened, and the vitality of spring has not yet arrived. Thousands of flowers have withered on the vast earth, and thousands of trees have withered. However, only plum blossoms are proud. Frost, snow, and cold wind bloom alone. Dots of red plum blossoms, like bright red blood, and patches of white blossoms, like holy powder. In this vast world, this is the only one that is bright and bright, not called frost or snow, it is aloof and proud. A gentleman's style. No wonder people praised him and called him a gentleman with respect.

Plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum are called the "Four Gentlemen" by the ancients. Plum blossom ranks first among the four gentlemen, which shows how deeply Chinese people love plum blossoms. Pine, bamboo and plum are collectively known as the "Three Friends of Suihan". Chinese people have a long tradition of loving plum blossoms, and they have also made achievements in cultivating plum blossoms. Plum blossoms are originally wild, but our people have domesticated and cultivated them, making them a treasure among flowers and a famous flower in our country. There are records about plum blossoms in ancient books, "Plum blossoms grow in Hanzhongchuan Valley", and it has been introduced and domesticated for more than 3,000 years. Nowadays, plum blossoms have spread all over the country and can be seen everywhere. They are even made into bonsais and can be admired with just a few glances. Chinese people's love for plum blossoms can also be seen in calligraphy, painting and poetry. Plum blossoms have always been an image expressed and eulogized in art. The plum blossom once became China's national flower. Nowadays, in the public initiative to select the national flower, many people still pay attention to the plum blossom among the opinions collected.

Of course, people love plum blossoms for some reason. The beauty of plum blossoms is very attractive to people. This is its natural beauty and the beauty of artificial cultivation; it also has the beauty of spiritual symbol. Its attribute of not being afraid of severe cold has become the spiritual symbol of the Chinese nation that is not afraid of violence, unyielding, strong and proud.

The natural beauty of plum blossoms is quite charming. The flowers are beautiful, the branches are beautiful, and there is a special kind of emotional charm in the posture and posture. Laogan's beautiful flowers, iron bones and red hearts, are in strange shapes, sparse and dense, horizontal and slanted.

There are many varieties of plum blossoms. Plum blossoms are easy to mutate, and there are many varieties. my country's forestry work has spent many years investigating, and there are more than 200 varieties in 18 provinces and cities in China. Twelve categories and thirty groups constitute a system. Such as Jiangmei, Gongfenmei, Dahongmei, Jade Butterfly Plum, Cinnabar Plum, Sajin Plum, Huangxiang Plum, Early Plum, Apricot Plum, Zhaoshui Plum, Longyou Plum, etc. There are different varieties and different flower colors. The flowers of red plums are pink, the flowers of apricot plums are red, the flowers of white plums, green-calyx plums and ice plums are white, and the flowers of fine plums are actually green. When the plum blossoms bloom, there are no leaves; and the pedicels are short, as if the flowers are growing on the branches. It's still a wonder of plum blossoms.

Chinese people’s love for plum blossoms is also reflected in the arrangement and planting methods of plum blossoms. They may open plum gardens specifically, divide areas specifically, specialize in plum species, or plant them densely in large areas beside streams or on lings. Its scale can be seen in its name. For example: Meiyuan, Meiling, Meixi. When the plum blossoms are in full bloom, the forest of plum blossoms is even more spectacular, with piles and patches, like fire and snow; the flowers are in full bloom, and people walking among them feel as if they are in a fairyland. Like thousands of plum blossoms blooming together, the fragrance is astounding and intoxicating from miles away. No wonder, at this time of year, people often go together to watch. Only by immersing yourself in the scene can you appreciate its beautiful momentum. People praise and call this state "Xiangxuemei", which is indeed worthy of the name. The fragrance and color of the flowers have inspired many literati to write many beautiful sentences and famous articles. In Su Shi's "Red Plum", there is a sentence that "the halo is spreading on the jade skin for no reason". The color of the plum blossoms is like the charm of an intoxicating beauty. Liu Houcun's "Spring in the Palace of the Han Dynasty" writes about plum blossoms that are even more profound: "The ice is covered with snow, and I am the only one who is dotted with crimson and condensed fat; I should sneer at the begonias to sleep drunk, and the peonies will enrich the muscles." "I am not greedy for beauty, but appreciate the quiet beauty. ". The plum blossoms are so shy, aloof and full of fun.

Plum flowers are divided into five petals and are highly decorative. Plum blossom patterns can be seen everywhere in handicrafts and architectural designs. Plum blossom trademarks, plum blossoms, plum blossom medals, plum blossom-shaped fruit boxes, and even the Plum Pavilion itself on Dengwei Mountain in Suzhou is a plum blossom-shaped building. Ancient people also said that the five petals of the plum blossom are a symbol of the five blessings: one is joy, the other is happiness, the third is longevity, the fourth is success, and the fifth is peace. These are traditional auspicious concepts that people rely on, and these contents are still valuable today. Of course their connotations have changed.

The beauty of plum blossoms has also been transferred to the field of beauty and cosmetics. "Taiping Yulan" also quoted a story: Princess Shouyang, the daughter of Emperor Wu of the Song Dynasty, was lying in front of His Highness Hanzhang during the day, and plum blossoms fell on her forehead. On the top, it became a five-flowered flower that could not be brushed away. It took three days to fall. The palace ladies were surprised and imitated it. Later, it spread and became plum blossom makeup.

This is an accidental beauty decoration method for hairdressing. To this day, five pink dots, shaped like plum blossoms, are still placed on children's foreheads as a decoration. Against the background of red dots, children's skin becomes brighter. This is probably the development and legacy of Meihua makeup.

The beauty of plum branches is also very unique and plays an important role in the beauty of plums. Lin Fu's poem "Little Plum Blossoms in the Mountain Garden": "Sparse shadows are slanting across the clear and shallow water, and the faint fragrance is floating in the moonlight at dusk." It is considered to be the best line in "Yong Mei", and this evaluation is no exaggeration. Not only does he summarize the beauty, habits, taste and realm of plum blossoms, but the most rare thing is that he poetically expresses the branches of plum blossoms, so his poems are superior to others. The beauty of the branches is not as eye-catching as the beauty of the flowers, so it is often overlooked. The beauty of plum blossoms lies in their branches slanting horizontally. Other trees do not have this kind of posture, which makes them even more unique.

The branches of plum blossoms are "beautiful by curvature", while straight ones have no posture; beautiful branches are regarded as beautiful, but there is no scenery if they are regular; beautiful ones are regarded as sparse, but they are shapeless when dense. "Curving, slanting and sparse are beautiful, and they are also strange in the laws of formal aesthetics. In this way, the plum blossoms have outstanding posture and extraordinary scenery. The branches of ancient plums and old plums are bent and spread horizontally, with quaint postures and sparse old trunks. The flowers are green and mossy, and are in sharp contrast with the delicate buds and fresh red petals. Obviously, the beauty of plum blossoms is related to the age of plum blossoms.

Plum plums are the longevity stars among flowers and trees. , the general growth period is three to five hundred years, and the longer period is more than a thousand years. The plum blossoms of the Sui Dynasty 1,300 years ago and the plum blossoms of the Tang Dynasty a thousand years ago are still flourishing today. Legend has it that the plum blossoms of the Song Dynasty in Hangzhou Chaoshan are Su Dongpo. Planted by one's own hands. This is a peculiarity of plum blossoms. It is also advocated that one is old and the other is precious. "

The beauty of plum blossoms such as curvature, sparseness, slanting, old age and harmony is only the beauty of form. However, Chinese aesthetics emphasizes spirit rather than form, so the beauty of plums naturally also has the beauty of spirit. The divine beauty of plum blossoms can be summarized in four words: clear, strange, thin, and strong. In art, this is more favored by poets and painters. The artistic creation of Chinese painters is the most typical. Painting plum blossoms has been very interesting among painters of all ages, and there are many excellent works. The image of plum blossoms in Chinese paintings has both form and spirit, and is more distinctive. The beauty of plum blossoms has been exaggerated and intensified: the body is weird, curved like a dragon, the old trunk is strange, thick and thin, and the branches are strong and strong, like swords and arrows, with feathers flying and arrows flying, and the body has old spots and scars. , like a crane with its knees bent and exposed, the flowers are bright and the buds are fragrant, looking up and retracting, showing various postures.

The beauty of plum increases its ornamental value among flowers and trees. In scenic spots and parks, there are many plum plants, either along the streams, or embellished with rocks, or even plum gardens based on them. In the small courtyards of the courtyard, the fence in front of the window leans horizontally, and the branches bend. , has its own taste. Or make a bonsai of plum blossoms, with a few red dots scattered, and place it on your desk, which is also elegant and refined.

The fragrance of plum blossoms is also praised by people. Of course, beauty is experienced by sight and hearing. Although some people have explored and studied the sense of smell, trying to upgrade it to art, they have not succeeded. Fragrance is not an aesthetic category, nor is it a sense of beauty, but the fragrance of plum blossoms is strong but not bright, cold but not light, has a unique quietness, and is unified with the elegance of plum blossoms, which can still enhance people's feelings about plum blossoms.

There is also a kind of wintersweet among ornamental flowers and trees. People often mix it with plum blossoms and collectively call them plum. In horticulture, they are actually two species of different families. Wintersweet belongs to the Rosaceae family. But in terms of aesthetic value, it is similar to plum blossoms. The beauty of the flowers, branches, and stems are close, and the aroma is similar. Their flowering periods are close, so wintersweet is often planted with plum blossoms. The flowers of wintersweet are yellow and have a wax-like surface, which shows a unique beauty. It can be compared with plum blossoms. During the adjustment, the delicate yellows and tender reds complement each other, making it richer and more beautiful. Although they are not from the same family, it is rare to be able to share their beauty in the cold weather. In the minds of appreciators, there is no need to distinguish each other.

The beauty of the plum blossoms is when they are still in bud and ready to bloom, but when they are fully bloomed and the branches are scattered, they lose their charm. Especially red plums are beautiful when they are in bud, but lose color once they are fully opened.

Plums grow in nature, and the beauty of plums should be based on nature. All beautiful things are most taboo with artificiality. Some of them are cut down and modified at will in order to force the branches of the plum trees to bend, which is not beautiful. Gong Zizhen, an outstanding thinker and writer in the Qing Dynasty, denounced this kind of artificial trimming in "Records of the Sick Plum Museum" for damaging the natural beauty of plums. , to curb their anger, in order to pay a high price, but the plum blossoms in Jiangsu and Zhejiang are all sick." He was heartbroken and determined to open a plum museum, "I vowed to treat them, let them go, and let them go" to remove the ropes so that the plums could recover. The beauty of nature.

Of course, bonsais are also artificially constructed and decorated. High-end ones are art, created by artists with high standards and traditional experience and skills. That is artistic beauty. Therefore, Gong Zizhen’s theory cannot be considered biased. . Of course, his call for help for sick plums focused on the liberation of personality, but Gong Zizhen's emphasis on the natural beauty of plums was very insightful. The beauty of plum has spiritual value because it has become a symbol of the spiritual beauty of the Chinese nation. Its unique natural properties are in line with the Chinese people’s high moral values ??and ideal pursuit. The plum blossoms are independent of the severe cold, resist frost and snow, and smile proudly among the flowers. They symbolize the virtues of the industrious, brave and hard-working Chinese nation, who do not tolerate violence, are unyielding in adversity, and stand tall and alone. It blooms before spring, a single flower blooms alone, announcing the spring but not beautifying the spring. When the spring returns to the earth in a riot of purple and red, she has a hidden face. This is a noble virtue, one that is proud but not arrogant, noble but not vulgar, pursuing but not overbearing, and ethical but not explicit. Isn’t this exactly the national character of the Chinese nation?

In this way, the Chinese people's love for plum blossoms has a dual aesthetic meaning. It is not only to appreciate the natural beauty, but also to express one's own embrace. People who love plum blossoms and appreciate them as one of the "Four Gentlemen" have a spiritual state. Far from humble. People who love plum blossoms often use it to show their nobility. In poems about plum blossoms, you can often get a glimpse of the poet's soul.

Among the ancients who loved Mei, Lu You was also one of the outstanding ones. He loves plum blossoms the most and compares himself with plum blossoms. "How can one transform into hundreds of billions? A plum tree blooms and a man blooms." He once wrote many plum blossom quatrains. "Bu Suanzi: Yong Mei" best reflects his ethics and is widely circulated. Its lyrics are: "The Broken Bridge Outside the Post Office" Beside, lonely and lonely. It's already dusk, and the wind and rain are coming. I have no intention of fighting for the spring, and the flowers are scattered into mud and become dust. "The feeling of loneliness and desolation is revealed.

The same plum blossom will have another feeling in another spiritual state. Mao Zedong also wrote a poem about Lu You, deliberately "using it contrary to its meaning" and showing different images and sentiments. Laughing."

The same plum blossoms express different aesthetics and ideological realms, and plum blossoms show different aspects of beauty. Two poems, one depicts the lonely flower that Ren Qunfang is jealous of, one depicts the blooming mountain flowers first, and a member of the bush who greets the ice and snow to announce the spring, and the other expresses the temperament of an ancient poet with unfulfilled ambitions. , a song that expresses the spirit and pride of the revolutionary leader.

This is true in art. When appreciating the beauty of life, people focus on different aspects, and this difference is also common. Everyone loves plum blossoms, but their aesthetic tastes may be very different.

Chinese people love plum blossoms deeply, which is quite typical. There is no shortage of good stories and interesting stories in this regard throughout the ages. Lin Fu from the Song Dynasty is widely known for his beautiful poems about plum blossoms. He was once known as "the wife of plum blossoms and the son of cranes". He lived in seclusion on a lonely mountain in the West Lake. He had not been in the city for several years. He was unmarried and childless. He planted plum blossoms and raised cranes next to his house. The people are strange and the poems are also strange. In the end, he was the leader of chanting plum blossoms. The famous contemporary gardener Yong Shoujuan also calls himself a "plum fan" who is "obsessed with plums". There is a plum house and plum mound in his courtyard, with more than a dozen plum trees and dozens of plum pile bonsais. There are also many famous paintings of plum blossoms from ancient and modern times hanging in the Plum House. During the plum blossom season, he here is also "beautiful and beautiful." He also has many poems about plum blossoms, one of which is like this: "Cold and delicate fragrance, dreamy leisure, red buds and green calyx clusters loop around There is also Chaoju Pavilion here, which is a good place to enjoy plum blossoms in the forest. Comparing one's plum house with Chaoju Pavilion with thin cuckoo means comparing oneself with Lin Heqing.

It is the cold season when plum blossoms bloom. Ancient people often walked in the snow to look for plum blossoms, which was an elegant thing to appreciate the beauty of life. Sometimes the plum blossoms bloom late, and they even bring bedding and sit under the plum blossoms to wait. Zhu Xi's poem "Exploring Plum Blossoms" records the poet's mood and activities in this regard: "The frost and snow are cold plums. Why do they bloom alone this night? It should be because the flower god has no intention of caring about it, so he troubles me to write poems to remind him; prosperity is not afraid of Sui Qingjiao, Who cares about the sparse shadows dipped in the green cup; cherishes the wine companions in the south, and seeks the river road to talk about fragrance." Wang Wei, the leader of the Tang Dynasty, reflected the ordinary people's love for plum blossoms: "You come from your hometown, you should know the things about your hometown. ", leaning against the window tomorrow, have the winter plum blossoms bloomed yet?" The poem is casual at all, but the love for plum blossoms is true, and plum blossoms have become the overriding nostalgia in the wanderer's heart.

There is another strange thing about plum blossoms. Although they are not afraid of severe cold, they love warmth by nature. Therefore, most of the famous plum blossom viewing spots are in the south. For example: Hangzhou West Lake Gushan, Wuchang East Lake Meiling, Suzhou Deng Wei’s Fragrant Snow Sea, Wuxi Plum Garden. When the plum blossoms are in full bloom, tourists from far and near rush to watch them.

Compared with the Chinese people’s love for plum blossoms, there are too few plum blossom cultivations. When, there are more plum trees and plum bonsai.

For more people to come here to inquire about plum blossom information, linger and cultivate their feelings? !

China is the hometown of plum. It was introduced to South Korea in the 16th century and later to Japan. Japanese horticulturists grafted and planted more than 400 varieties, which was twice as many as in China. As a country that loves plum blossoms, we have unique insights in aesthetics and can keep pace with horticulture, so that we are worthy of the world.