Mandarin Orange are also placed in front of altars and on top of New These three plants are models of fortitude and (Gut, Citrus reticulata) Year’s gifts for one’s friends. Mandarin oranges are uprightness in adverse conditions, and this type of used as a “return” gift when one is given a New resistance to the elements is admired by the Chi- Piles of oranges and mandarin oranges with leaves Year present. nese. As a result, this motif reigns foremost among attached go on sale in the weeks before the New the botanical motifs of China. Fruits and Flowers Year in San Francisco. Both oranges and mandarin Pomelo (You, Citrus grandis) As individual plants, the rugged pine is a symbol of oranges are round golden fruits surrounded by nobility and venerability. As a longevity symbol, the for the emerald leaves. Their shape and color symbolize The green pomelo, pine is often shown with the crane. The bamboo the sun and connect with the yang principle, which with its straight exterior and hollow culm symbol- represents the positive element and generative which becomes yel- Chinese New Year low when ripe, is a izes humility and fidelity. It has integrity for it bends force in nature. Thus oranges are considered auspi- in the storm but does not break. The plant is closely cious fruits and important symbols for the New Year. common sight in the shops of Chinatown associated with the everyday life of the Chinese Flower markets offer potted plants full of these before the new year. It because so many household objects are made of lovely golden fruits, ideal for indoor decoration. is a delicious fruit, bamboo. Su Dongpo, the famous poet of the Song dynasty, remarked that he would rather go without These fruiting shrubs represent the Cantonese and the rind can be by Terese Tse Bartholomew terms gut shue hoi fa ( ) and gut shue kit used in Chinese cook- meat than to live without the bamboo. Foremost gwo (), ing. The Chinese among the flowers, the plum is emblematic of per- meaning “flowering of believe it is important severance and purity. The five petals of its flower the lucky tree” and to have at least one make it an aus- “the lucky tree bear- pomelo in the house picious plant ing fruits.” for decoration, or bet- because five is ter still, to have a pair, a sacred num- The name of the fruit since good things ber in China. In is gut in Cantonese, always come in pairs. In Cantonese, you is similar this instance the and therefore it sym- in sound to the phrase “to have.” To use a pomelo five petals rep- bolizes good fortune to decorate one’s home during the new year implies resent the Five (dai gut ). It is an a wish that the home will have everything it needs Blessings: old important item for the coming year. age, wealth, the household. At the health, love of New Year a pair of virtue, and a mandarin oranges, Three Friends of Winter—Pine, Bam- natural death. together with red boo and Plum envelopes of money, (Suihan Sanyou, Song, Zhu, Mei ) All three plants, together or individually, are a is placed next to the pillow of every child in the source of inspiration for the Chinese, and are repre- family. This stands for dai gut lai see (), The pine (Pinus sp.), bamboo, and plum (Prunus sented in every field of Chinese art. “good fortune and good business.” The same items mume, also known as Japanese Apricot) have been are placed on top of the chuen hop ( ), the cir- known since the Song dynasty (960–1279) as the cular box containing New Year’s preserves and can- “Three Friends of Winter.” In the cold season when dies, as well as above the family rice container, to most plants are dormant, the bamboo and pine 200 Larkin Street • San Francisco, CA 94102 • www.asianart.org bring good fortune for the home. Dishes of oranges remain green, and the plum is the first to bloom. Printing provided by Kaw Valley Printing, Topeka, KS. © Asian Art Museum – Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture, 2004

Crab’s Claw Narcissus Quince Peach blossom perity, is an important and beloved flower of the Pussy Willow (Tiegeng Haitang, Chaenomeles lagenaria) (Taohua, Prunus persica) Chinese New Year. Narcissus has a pleasant fra- (Yin liu, Salix sp.) grance. The yellow cup resting on white petals Although native to China, this plant is also cultivated The peach tree with its pink blossoms is a standard gives it another elegant name, jinzhan yintai Since the Chinese like numerous blossoms on a in Japan and is known as Japanese quince. Its decoration for the New Year. Considered sacred in ( ), or Gold Cup on a Silver Stand. This branch, the many branches are thorny and bear showy blossoms that China, the wood of the peach tree was used as a flower came originally from Europe, but was already buds of the willow range from scarlet to pink or white. The flowers charm (taofu, ) against evil in ancient times. known in the Tang dynasty. Legend has it that make it a favorite have short stalks, hence the name tiegeng, or ses- Numerous peach trees are sold annually during the Emperor Minghuang ( ) (712–756 CE) pre- flower for Chinese sile flowered. In San Francisco, the quince flowers New Year flower fairs in Canton and Hong Kong. sented twelve pots of New Year. The fluffy around the New They are brought home and kept in the oldest and red narcissus to Lady white blossoms of Year, and it has nicest porcelain vase in the family, for it is believed Guoguo ( ), the the pussy willow become a sub- that the older the vase, the longer the flowers will sister of his beloved resemble silk, and stitute for the bloom. concubine Yang Guifei they soon give forth peach and plum (). young shoots the trees of China The peach, an The cultivation of the color of green jade. and Hong Kong. emblem of longevity, narcissus is confined Chinese enjoy such is of paramount signs of growth, It is customary to southern China, importance in Chi- which represent the for Chinese to and the bulbs of nese culture and is coming of prosperity. decorate their one of the most pop- Zhangzhou, Fujian homes with ular motifs found in ( ), are consid- blossoms during Chinese art. It is ered the best. Narcis- Kumquat Chinese New the symbol of the sus bulbs can be (Gumgut, Fortunella margarita) Year. For without venerable God of grown easily in a shal- flowers, there Longevity, Shoulao low dish called a shuixian pan ( ). The bulbs Pronounced Gumgut in Cantonese, the kumquat is will not be any ( ). Xiwangmu are held in place by smooth pebbles; the dish is a pun for gold formation of ( ), the Queen then filled with water and placed in the sun. (gum, ), and for fruit. The south- good fortune (dai Mother of the West, The narcissus in southern China is cultivated in ern Chinese have a tradition of displaying a blos- gut, ). Can- is believed to pos- two ways. Grown naturally, it has straight leaves soming peach tree or plum tree at home during the tonese love to dec- sess an orchard of peach trees in her abode up in and flowers. But if the young bulb is mutilated on Chinese New Year, and immigrants have continued orate their homes the Kunlun mountains. The trees blossom only once purpose by having some of its scales cut away, the this custom. In Hong Kong and Canton, thousands and places of busi- every 3000 years, and the fruit takes another 3000 plant becomes stunted and the leaves curly. This upon thousands of peach and plum trees are sold in ness with pots of years to ripen. It is believed that eating these latter type of narcissus is called “crab’s claw” the annual New Year Flower Fair, and the Chinese kumquats, in the peaches will grant immortality. (). buy these trees just as Americans buy pine trees hopes that they and fir trees to celebrate Christmas. The Chinese Its simplicity and beauty make the narcissus a will bring good Narcissus fortune and wealth. believe that blossoming flowers will bring prosperity (Shuixian, Narcissus tazetta var. orientalis) favorite motif in Chinese decorative art. When the (huakai fugui, ), therefore considerable lingzhi fungus ( ), narcissus, heavenly bamboo Candied kumquats care is taken in choosing these trees, so that many are one of the nec- Known to the Chinese as Water Fairy Flower, Ele- ( ), and rocks ( ) are combined together, of the buds will bloom on New Year’s day. they form the phrase zhixian zhushou ( ), or essary preserves gant Garlic ( ), or Fairy of the Waves ( ), for the New Year. the narcissus, a symbol of good fortune and pros- “the fungus fairy brings birthday greetings.”