The image“lotus”in I gather lotus blooms across the steam

Abstract：This paper analyzes the image "lotus" in the poetry， and the relationship between Caozhi and Nineteen ancient poems. By descriping the "lotus" in these two poems， this paper shows the beauty of the poem itself to readers and lead the readers to analyze this poem in a more multiple ways.

Key words：lotus； Caozhi； Nineteen ancient poems

1. Analysis of the image "lotus" in the poetry

In ancient time， people always compared womens looks to lotus， here are some examples， “lotus， the image of women” （Zhengxuanqian）； “Wenjun looks beautiful； her face is like a lotus.”（A Miscellany of the Western Capital）； “A beauty is transcendent， she looks like hibiscus mutabilis”（Fuxuan）； “A beauty should have a gesture of lotus.”（Gaoshi）， “Ah Nu is fifteen years old， and her beauty is as same as a lotus.”

All above talking about can be seen as the evidence that ancient people use lotus to describe a beautiful girl. The most important is that lotus has the meaning of “with one heart” in the heart of ancients， thus it is a symbol of love between men and women. “South of the lotus opened， red flowers will cover green water. Color and heart are the same， lotus root is different， but the heart is also the same.” （Emperor Liangwu， The summer song）； “cottonrose hibiscus is always putting lotus in her heart， where can find such ‘with one heart” （The month festival fold willow song）. Locus can be considered as a love media， because only lotus flower has the meaning of concentric. Picking up lotus and send it to lovers means they would like to be on familiar terms.According to Zhugunagqian and Zhangyanxing， lotus is the image of women.

2. The relationship between Canzhi and Nineteen ancient poems

Caozhi has literati temperament and romantic feelings. His character building may be related to his love with Zhenji. In view of chronological order， his feelings involved in his poems Apart from Friends and I gather lotus blooms across the steam. Since sassing out seventeen years in October， Caozhi creates a number of poems with the theme of lotus. This theme throughout his whole life and becomes a part of his love memory. Previously， the author Muzhai demonstrates the relationship between Caozhi and I gather lotus blooms across the steam in his articles. The fond of lotus is in allusion to Zhenji， Caozhis lover. And his love is lasting until Zhenjis death， he still recalls the situation that they spend over the river， and there are many lotuses. Lotus seems to be a media or a bridge to let them explore their hearts and love. Thats why Caozhi put lotus into his heart， and never forget it. In his many poems， we can see the figure of lotus.

And in Nineteen ancient poems： “I gather lotus blooms across the steam， in orchid march where fragrant flowers teem. To whom shall I send what I puck today？ The one I love is living far away.I turn my eyes toward our abode， what I can find but a long， long road. Living apart， how can we be consoled？ Our hearts are one； Ill grieve till I grow old.” Twp poems have the same scene is that the poet is picking lotus in the river， the difference is that Caozhi is picking lucid ganoderma in the former poem， but picking lotus in the latter poem. In fact， lotus is called lucid ganoderma in the water. The person who is picking is missing his or her lover far away from here. In fact， lotus is called lucid ganoderma in the water. The person who is picking is missing his or her lover far away from here. “Faced with green water and climb one again， picking up harvest and lucid ganoderma. Searching for what I need， feel sad if we will never meet how to feel my upset if not seeing you！” has the same meaning of “I gather lotus blooms across the steam， in orchid march where fragrant flowers teem. To whom shall I send what I puck today？ The one I love is living far away.” In his Travel faraway： “Luminous pearl， beneath the sandy soil. Picking up and give it to whom？ The girl named Xiange in Han Dynasty” and Travel in Autumn： “Meet with beauty in the morning， and never want to be apart...Picking it up for whom？ The one I want to send is in the imperial court.” From these sentences， we can know Zhenji has a hobby of picking up lotus， Caozhi and his brothers have a behavior of using lotus as a loving keepsake. No matter in the poem Apart from friends or in the poem I gather lotus blooms across the steam， Caozhi show his anxiety that the meeting time is limited and the distance between them is so far. “Searching for what I need， feel sad if we will never meet how to feel my upset if not seeing you！” and “I turn my eyes toward our abode， what I can find but a long， long road.” express the same meaning.

3. Conclusion

Lotus has different in ancient poems. I gather lotus blooms across the steam gives lotus more meanings and imagnary space. Some people regards Caozhi as the poet of this poem，by the analysis of the relationship between Caozhi and Nineteen ancient poems， we can get more details from this poem.

Appendix

I gather lotus blooms across the steam， In orchid march where fragrant flowers teem.

To whom shall I send what I puck today？ The one I love is living far away.

I turn my eyes toward our abode， what I can find but a long， long road.

Living apart， how can we be consoled？ Our hearts are one； Ill grieve till I grow old.

涉江采芙蓉

涉江采芙蓉，蘭泽多芳草。

采之欲遗谁？所思在远道。

还顾望旧乡，长路漫浩浩。

同心而离居，忧伤以终老。

【作者简介】

冯煊（1992—），女，甘肃兰州人，西北师范大学翻译专业在读硕士研究生。