Editor's note: From the deep sea to the mountains, from deserts to rainforests, every part of the earth has the imprint of plants. With the passage of time, climate change, geological movements, and habitat changes, plants remain new over time and maintain a diverse world in cons

Editor's note: From the deep sea to the mountains, from the desert to the rain forest, every part of the earth has the imprint of plants. With the passage of time, climate change, geological movements, and habitat changes, plants remain new over time and maintain a diverse world in constant evolution. The Voice of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences jointly opened "Flowers and All Things". Here, we pay attention to the survival, competition, reproduction, and death of plants, show the strange and colorful nature, interpret the myriad phenomena of living things, and explore the magical life. The secret realm pays homage to this silent yet vigorous and colorful world.

"Menghualu" stills (picture source: Tencent Video website screenshot)

"Menghualu" stills (picture source: Tencent Video website screenshot)

" Menghualu " became popular Pomegranate Flower .

Zhao Pan'er learned about Gu Qianfan's intentions and happily bought a bouquet of pomegranate flowers to pin in her hair; Gu Qianfan proposed to Zhao Pan'er, but she also held a bunch of pomegranate flowers in her hand. From the constant rift to the "looking forward to the brilliance", it seems that the pomegranate flower is the witness of their love. Is the screenwriter too imaginative, or are the ancients really romantic? After reading this article, maybe you will find the answer.

Pomegranate flowers in full bloom (pictures from the Internet)

Come from afar and are very popular.

Pomegranate flowers are not native products of our country, but imported products from Iran, Afghanistan and other Middle East countries. It was originally brought back by Zhang Qian when he was on his mission to the Western Regions. It was planted in the Royal Garden of Chang'an in the capital and the Lishan Hot Spring Palace (today's Huaqing Pool). It was deeply loved by everyone in the palace, especially Wu Zetian and Yang Guifei. very.

Wu Zetian liked pomegranate flowers very much, and vigorously promoted the cultivation of pomegranate trees, which led to the phenomenon that pomegranates were "not available in gold" and " pomegranates were everywhere in the suburbs" in the capital. Concubine Yang loved pomegranate flowers even more. She not only planted many pomegranate trees around her bedroom, but also asked craftsmen to design clothes for herself according to the color and shape of pomegranate flowers so that she could wear the pomegranate flowers on her body. This practice spread to the people, causing civilian women to imitate it. For a time, the streets and alleys were filled with women wearing dark short jackets and garnet high-waisted skirts. The hem of the skirt naturally spreads out like petals, swaying as you walk, just like pomegranate flowers blown by the breeze, charming and pleasing to the eye. This is also the origin of the "pomegranate skirt".

The lady wearing a pomegranate skirt in "Ladies with Hairpin Flowers" painted by Zhou Fang of the Tang Dynasty (picture from the Internet )

Beautiful and touching, it enters poetry and painting

People in ancient times loved pomegranate tweed - not only to wear it on their bodies, but also on other people's clothes. On the head, it should also be written into poetry, calligraphy and painting.

Han Yu wrote, "In May, the pomegranate flowers illuminate the eyes, and the seeds are beginning to bloom among the branches."; Su Shi said, "After a light rain, the little lotuses are turned over, and the pomegranate flowers are blooming and ready to burn."; Bai Juyi simply praised - " Thousands of flowers are pressed against the stems, but the broken red silk threads are dancing in the wind, and the fragrance is not exhausted. The freshly dried roses with thorns on their faces are hard to fight with. These flowers are placed under the eaves of the house, allowing everyone to pick them and see them.” The pomegranate flowers are praised for their luxuriant blooms, red but not demonic, gorgeous but not delicate, elegant and approachable; when it comes to Li Shangyin , the pomegranate flowers have become a love poem recalling sadness: "The pomegranate branches are graceful and the pomegranates are numerous, and the pomegranate film is light. The bright pomegranate seeds are fresh. The green peach tree in Yaochi has red cheeks for a thousand years. "

Zhang Daqian pomegranate has many seeds (picture from the Internet )

The fiery red flower god can ward off evil spirits

Friends who are familiar with our country's myths and legends know that, Each kind of flower has its own dedicated flower god, which is called the "God of Flowers". Most of them are beautiful fairies or graceful fairies. But the flower god of pomegranate flowers is the ugly-looking Zhong Kui. Is it because pomegranate flowers have fallen out of favor among the people? On the contrary, using Zhong Kui as the flower god of pomegranate flowers is not only not a symbol of the pomegranate flower's fall from favor, but also demonstrates the people's incomparable respect for the pomegranate flower.

In ancient times, the level of medical treatment and cognition was limited. The season when pomegranate flowers bloom happened to be early summer when all things flourish.This "all things" include the five poisons and even plagues. Ancient people believed that these viruses and insect pests were brought by evil spirits and evil spirits, so almost every household would solemnly request a portrait of Zhong Kui to ward off evil spirits when the pomegranate flowers bloomed. Zhong Kui in the portrait always has a pomegranate flower in his ear. Pomegranate flowers are "fiery red like cinnabar". Like Zhong Kui, cinnabar can also ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. Pomegranate flowers with the same color as cinnabar are also considered to be auspicious things that ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. "The pomegranate flower cuts off the plague and cuts off the five poisons." Zhong Kui put on the pomegranate flower, and the demons and monsters stayed away from home.

Zhong Kui (picture from the Internet)

To this day, in Anhui and other places in my country, every Dragon Boat Festival, people still carefully hang bouquets of pomegranates on their doors to pray for good weather and peace all year round.

Having written this, it must not be difficult for you to see how high the status of pomegranate flowers was in ancient my country! So when you see Gu Qianfan holding a bouquet of pomegranate flowers to express his feelings, and Zhao Paner actually agreed, you won't be so surprised. In fact, not only men will use pomegranate flowers as betrothal gifts, but women will also give their sweethearts purses embroidered with pomegranate flowers as tokens. In Lingbao County, Yang Guifei’s hometown, there is still a custom to this day that the groom must wear pomegranate flower insoles sewn by the bride herself, which means "nostalgia and love".

Pomegranate flower insoles (pictures from the Internet)

Pomegranate flowers can not only convey love, because "willow" and "grape" are homophonic, the ancients not only "cut willows to say goodbye", but also "sent pomegranates to convey friendship." Therefore, if someone gives you a pomegranate flower, don't be unhappy. It must mean that you are someone the other person values ​​extremely.

References:

1. Geng Yaqiao and Li Yanfu "Exploration of Pomegranate Flowers"

2. Liang Yonggang "Pomegranate Blossoms as Red as Fire"

3. Shi Jun "10 Pomegranate Facts You Don't Know"

Source: Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences