Lotos

Lotus Flower - traditionell Chinese painting
Lotos Flower - XieYi Style - watercolor on rice paper

One of the most famous and beautiful flowers in Chinese and Asian painting is the lotus flower. It is probably one of the most frequently painted motifs.

Chinese painting is strongly influenced by Buddhist symbols and is inextricably linked with this religion. The lotus flower is one of the eight treasures of Buddhism. Many Buddhist deities have a lotus-shaped foundation, because the lotus flower is considered a symbol of the Pure Land in Buddhism and represents Buddha’s noble and sacred character.

The lotus flower is not only a beautiful plant. Its flowers and seeds are growing at the same time, therefor lotus buds are often symbols of fertility and offspring.

The Chinese name for lotus is “lian”. In China, many symbolic meanings are attributed to the same sound of different words. The word “connect” is also pronounced “lian” and therefor the lotus symbolizes deep connection with the family.

It is particularly popular in China to hang lotus pictures in one’s home.

Chinese character for lotus
Chinese character for lotus

The combination of lotus flowers together with koi fish in a painting has the meaning of “live in prosperity” and “every year may you get more than you wish for”.

Koi Fish with Lotos is a brush painting
Koi Fish - Gongbi Style - watercolor on rice paper

In ancient China, the lotus represented the female and the fish the male, so this combination also sugested the union of man and woman.

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Flower Painting

Tiger Lily
"Tiger Lily" - XieYi Style - watercolor and ink on rice paper

One of the most common motifs in Chinese painting are flowers. The special thing is that the focus is not only on the beauty of the depicted flowers, but each flower has its own meaning. In combination with animals and other plants, any imaginable feeling, thought, and a wide variety of symbolic meanings can be represented.

Flower motifs can symbolize female beauty and virtues, happiness and family omens but also political authority.

Flower motifs were popular in all Chinese dynasties and so the number of symbolic meanings is almost immeasurable.

For example, the peony represents a high social position, great wealth and prosperity. 

White Rose
White Rose

Not only the type of flowers but also their color can change the meaning or sentiment of a painting.

Red peonies represent, among other things, true passion, because red is the color of vitality.

Pink peonies, on the contrary, symbolize love, affection and romance.

Yellow tones wish happiness and prosperity, and white peonies show that you are thinking of someone.

The Chinese word for flower or blossom is “hua”.

Chinese character - flower
Chinese character for flower

Bamboo

Bamboo - Chinese ink painting
"Bamboo" - XieYi Style - Ink on Rice Paper

My favorite subject to paint is bamboo. Apart from the special painting technique, for me bamboo is the plant that represents China or Asia the most. Apart from this, bamboo is the plant most closely associated with traditional Chinese art.

The Chinese often compare bamboo to gentleman for its unique character of being neither cringing nor arrogant.
In addition, bamboo painting is a symbol of modesty and integrity.

In Feng Shui, bamboo symbolizes tenacity, modesty and gradual advancement.

With the high and straight bamboo poles and its joints people therefore also use bamboo painting to express their desire to preserve the a person can be promoted to a higher position or rank.

Bamboo - Chinese ink painting
"Bamboo" - XieYi Style - Ink on Rice Paper
Chinese character for bamboo
Chinese character for bamboo

Bamboo is named as “Zhú” or also “Zhúzi” in Mandarin.

Since Chinese characters evolved from a pictographic script, with a lot of imagination you can still recognize the bamboo as a picture here.

In combination with other flowers or animals refines the interpretation of the symbolism. For example, a painting with bamboo and peonies means wealth, high rank and security. I will discuss individual examples in later blog articles.