How2Day: Orchids in the Chinese Culture

As in many other cultures, natural objects such as flowers have social and cultural significance. In China, the orchid has long been prized for its delicacy, beauty and scent. It has been cultivated in China for 2,000 years and is often seen in art and textiles.

In traditional Chinese culture, the orchid was considered a flower reserved for an elite few. Confucius, who is said to have had a special affinity for the orchid, believed that its beauty and scent made it fit for only the emperors. In the middle ages, just the upper classes in China were permitted to cultivate the flower.

The Chinese word for orchid is "lan." This word is telling, because it is a verb that means "to ward off." The orchid was believed to have the power to ward off evil and evil spirits. Although lan was used mostly for the orchid, the word was also associated with similar flowers that were gathered to ward off evil if there were not enough orchids in the vicinity.

In Chinese literature, the orchid is normally associated with the gods, intellectual achievement and aristocratic bearing. When he happened on an orchid growing wild in the woods -- where no one was around to admire it -- Confucius mused that it reminded him of all great scholars and moralists who were not appreciated in their own time. As a result, Confucius held that the orchid represented nobility in the sense that it displayed tenacity of character in the face of ignorance or disapprobation.

The great moral virtue the orchid symbolizes is moderation, or the keeping of a "mean" in all things. The orchid likes dry but not hot soil. It thrives in soil that is damp but not soggy. It loves the sun but not the heat of summer.

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