#64 Why Chrysanthemum is a Gold-Colour Armour in the late Autumn
If a foreigner wants to understand China, he could look at the legacy like solar terms that was passed down from ancient Chinese to grasp the wisdom that makes China a unique civilisation.
Oct 9 this year marked the arrival of Cold Dew 寒露 which is the 17th solar term on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. People's Daily published some captivating photos on that day depicting this solar term, and so I thought of sharing them here, and also translated some Chinese text that could help to explain the significance of Cold Dew.
I think when one talks about contemporary China, one needs to look at its history and culture given that it has an unbroken civilisation for a few thousand years. This is because understanding its history and culture would help a foreigner to realise how its past defines the current China.
For me, I am impressed by the wisdom of the ancient Chinese who managed to hand down their wisdom to their descendants to benefit them (like solar terms), and also highlight the mistakes so that the future generations would not repeat them and avoid unnecessary suffering for the common folks.
𝓟𝓱𝓸𝓽𝓸 𝟏
"①今天21时16分，寒露至；②此时节，露水盈盈，寒气渐重，冬天的脚步开始隐隐走来；③寒露时节，秋色渐浓，适合出门感受秋的气息；④天气渐凉，记得及时添衣加被"
"① Cold Dew is arriving today at 21:16
② At this time of the season, the dew is full, the cold air is getting stronger, the footsteps of winter are beginning to announce its arrival in a subliminal manner ;
③ During the Cold Dew solar term, the "autumn colour" is getting more and more pronounced and it is suitable for going out to feel the "breath" of autumn;
④ the weather is getting cooler , remember to cover yourself with additional clothing and quilt."
𝓟𝓱𝓸𝓽𝓸 𝟐
"寒露是秋季第五个节气
如果说白露是由炎热向凉爽的转折
那么寒露是由凉爽向寒冷的过渡"
"Cold Dew is the fifth solar term of the Autumn season
If the White Dew (solar term) is the transition from hot to cool
then Cold Dew is the transition from cool to cold."
𝓟𝓱𝓸𝓽𝓸 𝟑
"寒露时节 草木黄落
百花凋谢 而菊花却迎风绽放"
"During Cold Dew solar term, leaves of plants are starting to turn yellow and fall,
Though many flowers wither, but the chrysanthemums blossom in the wind."
Because chrysanthemum is robust during the late autumn season, it symbolises nobility and strength (高尚坚强) and you would discover it was being used in ancient poems for such illustration.
Chrysanthemum actually appears as the title of Zhang Yi Mou's 2006 film "Curse of the Golden Flower" (满城尽带黄金甲). This is because 满城尽带黄金甲 came from the a poem composed by rebel Huang Chao (黄巢) of Tang Dynasty and it means if his rebellion were successful, then the city would be liberated with gold-colour armour (黄金甲) sprouting up to the greatest extent. Here gold-colour armour is an allegory that refers to chrysanthemum which is gold in colour and also how the peasants would become as strong (attribute of Chrysanthemum) as armour that would no longer be bullied by the elites and the rich. Also, the use of chrysanthemum here also depicts that Huang views it as a noble mission to overthrow the Tang dynasty.
