五月石榴花和六月荷花May’s Pomegranate and June’s Lotus

赵梦蝶

导语

Introduction

花，是大自然美的象征。缤纷的世界、美好的生活，都离不开花的陪伴。一年十二月，月月伴花香。每一种花的特性、气质都是独一无二的。

Flowers embody the beauty of Mother Nature.Their existence is essential to the colorfulness of theworld and the joy in life. As the year unfolds， eachof the twelve months is graced with the fragrance ofdifferent flowers. Every flower， with its distinct featuresand personality， is unique.

俗话说：“ 花木管时令，鸟鸣报农时。”古人把时令和花联系在一起，依照中国农历，每个月份都被冠以一个花名。这些花成为月令花神，我们也因此有了属于自己的守护神。你的花神是谁呢？

As the saying goes： “Whilst flowers and treesmark the change of seasons， birds songs signal thetimes of farming.” Ancient people tended to linkseasons to specific flowers. According to the Chineselunar calendar， each month was named after a flower，which was then worshipped as the guardian deity forthat month. Thanks to this tradition， we are blessedwith our own guardian deities. What do you knowabout your flower deity？

五月花神——石榴花

Mays Flower Deity — The Pomegranate Flower

石榴又名“安石榴”，相传是西汉时期张骞出使西域时带回中原的。每年农历五月，正是石榴花盛开的时节，故有“榴月”之名。石榴便成了五月花神。新夏来临，石榴树上就会开满红艳艳的石榴花，在浓郁的绿叶之中燃起一片火红，好不热闹！

The pomegranate， a l soknown as “punica granatum，”was reportedly brought back tothe Central Plains by Zhang Qianduring the Western Han Dynasty.The month of May， according tothe lunar calendar， is the bloomingseason of the pomegranate flower.Hence it is called “PomegranateMonth，” and the pomegranateis crowned as the deity of May.With the arrival of early summer，pomegranate trees bloom withbright red flowers amidst lushleaves， creating a vibrant scene.

石榴花的花语是“ 成熟的美丽”。唐代时，女子热衷穿红色长裙，因其色泽赤红似石榴色，文人将其命名为“石榴裙”。至今，人们还打趣说男子“拜倒在石榴裙下”，形容被女子的美丽征服。

The pomegranate flowersymbol i z e s “the b eauty ofmaturity.” In the Tang Dynasty，women were mostly fond ofwearing red dresses， which werecalled “pomegranate skirts” dueto their color resembling that of apomegranate. Even today， theresa saying about gentlemen being“captivated by the pomegranates k i r t ，” d e s c r i b i n g t h e i renchantment with a ladys beauty.

此外，石榴的果实籽粒丰满，故在中国文化中， 石榴被赋予了“多子多孙、人丁兴旺”的美好寓意，有“榴开百子”之说。

Besides， the fruit of thepomegranate is full of seeds. InChinese culture， therefore， it isendowed with the auspiciousme a n i n g o f “ f l o u r i s h i n goffspring” — hence the saying“a pomegranate gives birth to ahundred offspring.”

正因其独特的形态和吉祥的寓意，石榴花在中国艺术中有着丰富的表现。唐代文学家韩愈用“五月榴花照眼明”来形容石榴花红艳可爱。

Because of its unique formand auspicious meanings， thepomegranate flower has richexpressions in Chinese art. HanYu， a litterateur in the TangDynasty， described its red colorand brightness with the words“Dazzling to the eyes are theblooming pomegranate flowers inMay.”

石榴与石榴花颇受文人雅士喜爱，其形象经常出现在中国传统文化的各种艺术作品中，如绘画、陶瓷及其他工艺制品。清代张莘的“栀子榴花轴”中，栀子、榴花齐放，栀子白如雪，榴花红似火，对比鲜明，炎炎夏日中观赏此画，令人心旷神怡，暑意全无。

Deeply appreciated by literatiand gentries of refined tastes，the pomegranate and its flowers frequently appear in traditionalChinese cultural artworks， suchas paintings， ceramics， and othercraf t s . In The Gardenia andPomegranate Flower Scroll by theQing Dynasty artist Zhang Shen，gardenias and pomegranate flowersbloom together， their white and redcolors providing a stark contrastand offering viewers a refreshingsight in the scorching summer.

这幅《石榴》是书画大师吴昌硕82岁时所作，其花卉大写意，非常善于捕捉石榴的外形特点，线条简洁流畅，颜色运用鲜明，使石榴果实生动、有力量感。通过石榴的形象，吴昌硕表达了对家庭幸福和社会和谐的向往。

This piece of Pomegranate painted by WuChangshuo at the age of eighty-two showcases themasters expertise in capturing the essence of thepomegranates appearance with simple， flowinglines and vibrant colors， bringing the pomegranatefruit to life. Through the vivid representation of thepomegranate， the artist expresses an utmost longing forfamily happiness and social harmony.

清代瓷器上匠人常用石榴图形制作青花瓷盘、茶具等，如清代景德镇窑青花缠枝石榴纹盘，内底绘有青花贯套石榴纹；还有根据石榴造型烧制的陶瓷器皿——石榴尊（始见于明朝宣德年间，清雍正时期开始仿烧，成为清代官窑的经典器型），如清代祭红釉“瓷石榴尊”，釉层肥厚，红釉如初凝牛血。

In the Qing Dynasty， craftsmen frequently adopted thepomegranate pattern in creating blue-and-white porcelaindishes， tea sets， and other items， such as the Blue-and-WhitePorcelain Plate with Twining Branches and Pomegranate Pattern（made in Jingdezhen Kiln）， which featured a pomegranatepattern inside; and the pomegranate-shaped ceramic vessels，known as Pomegranate Vases （originating during the XuandePeriod of the Ming Dynasty; later imitated during the QingDynasty and recognized as a classic model of official kilns）.One typical example is the Qing Dynastys sacrificial red glazedPorcelain Pomegranate-Shaped Vase. The vase has thick-glazedlayers， and its color resembles recently congealed ox blood.

此外，女子喜欢头插以石榴花为造型的簪花首饰，寓意生活幸福如意。这枚明代榴树形金发簪，簪首以金累丝制成石榴树一株，有喜鹊嬉戏其间，石榴上镶嵌各色宝石，喜庆吉祥。金簪插入发际，行走时摇曳生姿、枝颤鹊舞，煞是引人注目。

Additionally， women at that time were fond of wearing hairpins shaped likepomegranate flowers， symbolizing a happy and wishful life. This pomegranate treeshapedgold hairpin from the Ming Dynasty is exquisitely crafted with gold filigreeforming a pomegranate tree and has frolicking magpies in between its branches.The pomegranate itself is inlaid with varicolored gemstones， signifying a sense of joyand auspiciousness. The gold hairpin， when worn at the hairline and swaying as onewalks， is extremely appealing with its trembling branches and dancing magpies.

六月花神——荷花

Junes Flower Deity — The Lotus

荷花，也称“莲花”。“六月荷花二十四”，旧俗里将这一天定为荷花的生日，荷花便是六月花神。关于荷花有许多美丽的传说，其中最令人神往的莫过于西施采莲。李白在《子夜吴歌》之《夏歌》中写道：“镜湖三百里，菡萏发荷花。五月西施采，人看隘若耶。”

The lotus， also known as the lotus flower， celebratesits birthday on the 24th of June according to old customs，hence worshipped as the deity of June. Many beautifullegends have been passed down about the lotus， the mostenchanting of which is perhaps the story of “Lady ShihTzu Gathering Lotuses.” As Li Bai wrote in “Ballads ofFour Seasons： Summer”： “The Mirror Lake extends forhundreds of miles; in full blossoms are the lotus flowers.Whilst Lady Shih Tzu was collecting them in May;admiring watchers overwhelmed the bank of RuoyeStream.”

荷花，中国古典文化中极具代表性的花卉之一，其花语是“坚贞、高洁”。荷花被誉为“花中君子”，古代文人多咏荷、画荷，以荷花自喻。其中，周敦颐（北宋理学家）的《爱莲说》最为人熟知，“予独爱莲之出淤泥而不染”，他用荷花的端庄雅丽、玉洁冰清比喻洁身自好的人格。

The lotus stands for “purity and nobility” and is oneof the most representative flowers in classical Chineseculture. Revered as “the noble among flowers，” ancient scholars often extolled and painted lotuses as areference to their moral icon. Among these， ZhouDunyi （a Neo-Confucianist of the Northern SongDynasty） is most well-known for his “Ode to the Lotus”：“I love the lotus because it grows in mud yet is nevercontaminated.” By illustrating its dignified beauty andunstained purity， Zhou presented the lotus flower as ametaphor for pure， uncompromised integrity.

荷花在中国花鸟画中也占据很高的比例。清代画家包栋的《儿童采莲图》描绘了在莲花盛开的夏日里，天真活泼的儿童撑一条小船去池中采摘白莲花玩耍的场景，风吹柳叶，摇橹破水，儿童嬉戏，清音悦耳。画中绘有三子采莲， 画面天真童趣，而童子抱莲花也寓意“连生贵子”。

In Chinese flower and bird paintings， the lotusalso occupies a significant place. The Qing Dynastypainter Bao Dongs Children Picking Lotuses depictsa scene where lively and innocent children paddlea small boat in a pond to pick white lotus flowersduring a summer day when the lotuses are in fullbloom. The wind blows through the willow leaves，the oars break the water， and the children playjoyfully， bursting out clear and pleasant laughter. Thepainting of three children collecting lotuses capturesa moment of playful innocence， with the motif ofchildren holding lotuses symbolizing “giving birth tochildren continuously.”

清代画家余集的《一路青莲图》绘白鹭青莲，借其谐音，寓意“一路清廉”，形容为官清正、一尘不染、廉洁公正。

The Qing Dynasty artist Yu Jis A Path ofGreen Lotuses shows egrets among green lotuses.The homophony of this title means “a path ofintegrity，” which delivers high praises for anofficials integrity， purity， and justice.

在当代也有许多艺术家、书画家钟爱绘荷。久居杭州西子湖畔的国家一级美术师顾宏教授对荷花亦是特别钟情，他笔下的荷花很具个性，充满禅意，似有佛光普照，总给人以美的联想。他曾组织《中国当代荷花国画名家邀请展》等全国性乃至国际性的高品位大型文化艺术盛会，邀请众多著名画家齐聚西子湖边一起画荷颂荷，共同探讨荷花的文化内涵，与大众共鸣对荷花的喜爱。

Many contemporary artists and calligraphers also have a specialaffection for painting lotuses. Professor Gu Hong， a national first-classartist who has long resided by the West Lake in Hangzhou， is particularlyfond of lotuses. The lotuses under his brush are filled with distinctpersonalities and Zen ideas， seemingly bathing in Buddhas light andalways evoking beautiful associations. He has organized high-calibrearts and cultural events on national and international scales， such as the“Chinese National Painting Masters of Lotus Exhibition.” Many famouspainters have been invited to the West Lake to paint and praise the lotustogether， exploring its cultural connotations and conversing with thepublic about their shared love for the lotus.

莲花与佛教关系密切，寓意清净的功德与智慧，是生命与光明的象征。随着佛教传入中国，佛门圣花莲花被雕刻、装饰于各种器物之上。其中“北宋婺州窑青瓷尊式炉”具有一定的代表性，该器物的上腹画细线卷云纹和鹦鹉纹，下腹细刻成一朵盛开的莲花。“莲瓣纹钵”是宋代龙泉窑最有代表性的产品之一。宋元时期的“龙泉窑青瓷莲瓣纹钵”，平底微向内凹，外壁刻有重瓣立体的仰莲纹，表面施粉青色厚釉，柔和淡雅，犹如美玉雕琢而成；造型规整，简洁优雅，为宋人的文房用具。

Closely related to Buddhism， the lotus flower is a symbolof pure merit and wisdom and represents both life and light.With the introduction of Buddhism into China， the lotus —the sacred flower of Buddhism — was carved and decoratedon various objects. Celadon Incense Burner in the Shape of Zun（from the Wuzhou Kiln during the Northern Song Dynasty）is quite representative， with cloud patterns and parrot patternson its upper part and a carved blooming lotus on its lower part.Lotus Petal-Patterned Bowl was one of the most representativeproducts of the Longquan Kiln during the Song-Yuan period.Celadon Lotus Petal-Patterned Bowl of the Longquan Kiln isknown to possess a flat bottom with a slightly inward concave —double-layered， three-dimensional lotus petal carved onthe outer wall and the whole surface covered by the thickpowderedblue celadon glaze. The bowl looks tender andquietly elegant as if it was carved out of a piece of jade; it hasa regular， simple and graceful shape， serving as some scholarsstationery at that time.

荷花亦作为装饰进入我们的日常生活。如今流行的汉服常用荷花元素，或是以刺绣，或是以印花，出现在荷包香袋、丝巾披肩以及穿着的衣裳、鞋子等上；文房雅玩、家具陈设、茶酒香具均可见荷花的身影；建筑、雕塑、铜镜、石刻等工艺形式中也常见荷花装饰。同时，荷花因其清秀卓越的风姿运用于城市的园林景观，如杭州西湖十景之一的“曲院风荷”等。

The lotus enters our daily lives as decoration as well. Han Chinese Clothing， whichregains its popularity today， often features lotus elements. Either embroidered or printed，the images of lotuses appear on sachets， scarves， clothing， shoes， and so on. Beyond seenin scholarly playthings， furniture， tea and wine accessories， lotus decorations are alsocommon in architecture， sculptures， bronze mirrors， and stone carvings. Moreover， withits delicate and outstanding style， the image of the lotus is applicable for building gardenlandscapes in urban spaces， such as “Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard，” one ofthe “Ten Scenic Spots” of the West Lake.