The Meaning of Plants (4)

柳絮Willow catkins: without wing, but still flying like bird.

 Pic from: http://images.rednet.cn/articleimage/2010/04/08/1511551730.gif

And there is a story about willow catkins: once upon a time, some scholars and wealthy are having a banquet. A merchant was slip of the tongue, said that “When the willow catkins flying there are red glow.”  Everybody laughed at his word. Only one scholar stood up and said, “Don’t laugh, for it is an ancient poem it says: When the setting sun shining on the bank, the willow catkins flying there are red glow.”  In fact this poem was fabricated by this scholar himself and after the banquet, the merchant gave him a lot of money for the help. And the later Chinese regard this scholar as the master of flattery.

The film: ‘Easy Virtue’ translate into Chinese is水性杨花 it means the character like water and willow catkins. The metaphor is always changing according environmental.

含羞草sensitive plant or touch-me-not, in Chinese term it is shying flower, so Chinese people think it is the ugly duck still not full confident of the beauty of itself.

Pic from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMxIFM-G9_Pb_tgeNV7nnvDrzTJZSmczFxZKdRkMU2OUkSP3f7GU9tV2bYXuIl2UD6SoV4COPwLKLxQ5ie7xmFK47OZGgn0h0ll8KZuCB0Yd6LZNMlJxkerjrT5KqqWZH9CLR3yS7NKE/s1600/IMG_5124.JPG