苏州荷叶   摄影：毛子泰 

观赏六大名花 品味诗词文化

毛里林  

随着中国文化对世界感染力的与日俱增，越来越多的外国朋友纷纷来华旅游学习。植物，尤其是传统名花(traditional famous flowers)是中国多姿多彩旅游资源的重要组成部分。外国友人可以借助“花卉”这一平台，直接触摸与欣赏蕴藏着中国传统文化元素(elements of the Chinese culture)。的确，自古以来，鲜花就一直陪伴在中国人的身边。除了用于美化环境和人际交往外，鲜花还频现于文人墨客(poet of eminence)脍炙人口的佳作里；常被国人端上充满美味佳肴的丰盛餐桌上；被民间当作不可或缺的中草药(Chinese herbal medicine)珍藏于中医药铺里。笔者欲带中外花卉爱好者观赏中国传统六大名花，与此同时欣赏蕴藏其中的中华诗词文化。

 纯洁的荷花   摄影：毛子泰

2. 十里飘香的桂花  

桂花在中国有2500多年的栽培历史，有一个和中秋节相关的典故：传说吴刚因遭天帝惩罚到月宫砍伐桂树，其树随砍随合，以此无休止的砍伐作为对吴刚的惩罚，唯有中秋这一天吴刚才能休息。Planted in China for more than 2,500 years, osmanthus is said to be connected with Mid-Autumn Festival owing to the fairy tale about a man named Wu Gang, who is ordered to cut down a large and strong osmanthus tree on the moon every day, yet the charmed tree never falls and has fragrant flowers each autumn. Wu is allowed to have a rest for Mid-Autumn Festival only.暗淡轻黄体性柔，
情疏迹远只香留。
何须浅碧深红色，
自是花中第一流。暗淡轻黄体性柔，
情疏迹远只香留。
何须浅碧深红色，
自是花中第一流。

宋朝(960年-1279年)李清照在诗中如是描写桂花：“暗淡轻黄体性柔。情疏迹远只香留。何须浅碧深红色，自是花中第一流。” Li Qingzhao of the Song Dynasty(AD960-1279), in her poem, described osmanthus as follows “light yellow, with a delicate figure, that only leaves fragrance behind; No need for bright greens and reds, the osmanthus is a flower destined to shine.”

这种香气扑鼻的小黄花常常入粥、糕点和茶里，以便提升口感。广西(别称“桂”)种有许多桂花树, 由其制作的香水成为当地特产。The little sweet-scented yellow flowers are often added to porridge, cakes and tea to enhance the taste. In Guangxi(also named Gui), where many osmanthus trees are planted, the sweet-fraganted flower has become an important local specialty.　

描绘桂花经典诗句：共道幽香闻十里，绝知芳誉亘千乡。Her scent enlightens both sides of the long road, her virtue is known in every household.

3. 清新脱俗的荷花

荷花是纯洁的代名词。宋代学者周敦颐在散文《爱莲说》里这样称赞荷花: “予独爱莲之出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖。” Lotus is a synonym for purity. In his prose Ai Lian Shuo, a Song Dynasty scholar called Zhou Dunyi, commended it to be “unsullied from silt where it comes from, retains demure despite being cleaned by water” .

荷花还寓意女子的高洁人格。古典文学《红楼梦》中的主人公贾宝玉忠诚、正直的丫环晴雯死后托梦说自己变成了芙蓉仙子。Lotus is still connected with women’s noble and pure personality. In the classic The Dream of the Red Chamber, Qing Wen, an honest and upright maid of protagonist JiaBaoyu, becomes a lotus fairy after stopping thinking.

数千年来，荷花的叶、籽和根一直用来做菜，也入中药。The flower,along with its leaves,seeds and roots, has been widely used in not only Chinese cuisine but also traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.

描绘荷花经典诗句：秀色空绝世，馨香为谁传？Incomparable her beauty is, for whom she sends out such fragrance?

4. 繁花似锦的杜鹃

古有杜鹃啼血之神话：一种忧郁的鸟名叫杜鹃，它昼夜悲鸣，啼至血出乃止，杜鹃花就是被杜鹃鸟的鲜血染红的，因此而得名。In ancient Chinese mytholgy, a melancholy bird called Du Juan bleated day and night until it spat blood, with all the flowers painted red on the hill. Thus, the flower was named after the miserable bird.

杜鹃花是唐朝(618年-907年)诗人白居易的最爱。他不仅常在诗中赞美杜鹃花，还亲手尝试种植杜鹃花。诗人在《山石榴花十二韵》中写道：“本是山头物，今为砌下芳。千丛相向背，万朵互低昂。” Azalea is poet BaiJuyi’s favorite flower, who is from the Tang Dynasty. Not only did he sing a high praise for azaleas in his poems, but tried to grow them with his own hands. In his poem Azalea Twelve Tunes, he wrote: “Once grown on hills, now blooming in gardens… send a message to God and let azalea be the king of flowers,”

在传统中医里，杜鹃花入药能治疗肾虚耳聋。The whole plant can be used in traditional Chinese medicine, capable of curing both kidney illness and deafness.

描绘杜鹃经典诗句：灿烂如锦色鲜艳，殷红欲燃杜鹃花。With fresh and vivid color of deep red, the flowers of cuckoo look like burning fire.

5. 独立冰霜的菊花

菊花在中国神话与文学作品里是长寿之象征，素雅而不乏美丽。Chrysanthemum, with its unsophisticated beauty, symbolizes longevity in Chinese myths and literature.

东晋(317年-420年)诗人陶渊明《饮酒》中有诗句“采菊东篱下，悠然见南山”，勾画了许多人梦想中的宁静安适的田园生活。In his poem Drinking Wine, Tao Yuanming from the Eastern Jin Dynasty wrote:“While picking up chrysanthemums beneath the eastern fence, my gaze was leisurely upon the southern mountains”, sketching the view of a peaceful and satisfying life dreamed of by many people.

据传统中医，菊花茶可清火去热。因此，人们往往在食用太多烘焙或辛辣食物之后要喝菊花茶。菊花枕亦可明目。According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, the Chrysanthemum Tea can relieve internal heat and fever. Consequently, people often drink it after having too much spicy and baked food. Dried-chrysanthemum-made pillows, too, do good to people’s eyes.

描绘菊花经典诗句：质傲清霜色，香含秋露华。In frost she cultivates her prideful nature, from her fragrance the scent of autumn dew can be smelt.

6. 总领群芳的牡丹

牡丹五月盛开，花大色艳，寓意富贵荣华。自唐代以来，人们甚爱牡丹。唐人偏爱雍容华贵的东西，比如肥壮的马和大朵的花。晚清时期，牡丹立为国花。Blooming in May, peony’s large petals and strong colors are linked to prosperity and richness. It has become very popular since the Tang Dynasty, a period of time when Chinese people preferred such magnificent and glorious things as fat and strong horses and large flowers. In the late Qing Dynasty, peony was chosen as the national flower.

唐朝大诗人李白曾在其《清平调》中把杨玉环的绝色容颜比作盛放的牡丹花: “云想衣裳花想容”。The great Chinese poet Li Bai, from the Tang Dynasty, once compared concubine Yang Yuhuan's exceedingly beautiful face to fully blooming peonies in his famous poem Qing Ping Diao.  “Floating clouds remind me of her clothes, and peonies her face,” he wrote.

众多中国年画常绘仙童手捧牡丹, 表达人们新年愿望:吉祥富贵。In plenty of Chinese New Year pictures, fairy children is always holding peonies, which bears people’s wishes for an auspicious and rich new year.

茶和中药里加入干牡丹花可缓解痛经。Added in tea and the Chinese medicine, dried peony petals can relieve the pain caused by menstruation.

描绘牡丹经典诗句：疑是洛川神女作，千娇万态破朝霞。If not the creation of Luochuan Goddess she is, then why does she bear such great charm that embarrasses the morning glow.

毛里林 湖南省长沙市长郡中学

刘文年 湖南省常德市澧县二中