In traditional Chinese culture, flowers are not just gifts of nature but vessels of emotion. For thousands of years, specific flowers have been used to express love, commitment, and fidelity. Here are the ten most representative Chinese flowers of romance and their profound cultural significance.
1. Peony: The Symbol of Prosperous Love
Origin: Known as the "king of flowers," the peony's romantic tradition dates back to the Tang Dynasty. According to Records of the Kaiyuan and Tianbao Eras, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and his beloved Consort Yang often admired peonies at the Xingqing Palace's Chenxiang Pavilion. The poet Li Bai composed three Qingping Diao poems comparing peonies to Consort Yang's beauty, forever linking the flower with imperial love.
Meaning: Symbolizing "shared prosperity in love," it expresses the vow: "I wish to win your heart, and grow old together without parting." Its layered petals metaphorically represent the fullness of marriage, often embroidered on wedding attire or given as betrothal gifts.
2. Chinese Peony (Paeonia): The Bittersweet Farewell
Origin: The Book of Songs from the pre-Qin period already contains the verse: "The young men and women, joking together, give each other peonies as gifts." Ancient people called it the "parting herb" because it blooms in late spring and early summer, coinciding with scholars' departures for imperial examinations, making it the preferred farewell gift.
Meaning: It conveys both the sorrow of parting and the promise to "meet again." By the Song Dynasty, the "Paeonia Pact" custom emerged—lovers would each keep half of a peony root, rejoining them as a token upon reunion.
3. Twin Lotus: A Match Made in Heaven
Origin: The Eastern Jin Dynasty's Baopuzi first documented this auspicious phenomenon. The Ming Dynasty's Treatise on Superfluous Things noted: "Twin lotuses symbolize husband and wife." A rare natural occurrence caused by genetic mutation, it was imbued with romantic meaning.
Meaning: Representing "shared roots, shared destiny." In traditional weddings, brides often carried a "treasure vase" adorned with twin lotus patterns, symbolizing "united hearts." Suzhou's Humble Administrator's Garden still preserves ancient techniques for cultivating twin lotuses.
4. Love Pea (Adenanthera pavonina): The Southern Emissary of Longing
Origin: Immortalized by Wang Wei's poem: "Red beans grow in southern lands, budding in spring." These vibrant, enduring seeds became a "code" for expressing secret love starting in the Tang Dynasty.
Meaning: A single pea conveys "bone-deep longing." By the Qing Dynasty, "love pea hairpins" emerged as tokens of affection—silver hairpins embedded with red peas. Guangdong still preserves the Qixi Festival custom of "tossing love peas."
5. Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin): The Spousal Tree
Origin: The Han Dynasty's Shennong's Herbal Classic recorded its medicinal properties. Its leaves that open by day and close at night led to its association with marital harmony during the Wei-Jin period. The poet Wen Tingyun referenced it in his verse about love tokens.
Meaning: Symbolizing "harmonious marriage." Traditional wedding beds were often made of silk tree wood, and newlyweds drank "wedding wine" brewed from its flowers. Its filament-like blossoms metaphorically represent "countless bonds of affection."
6. Crabapple: The Heartbreak Blossom
Origin: Song Dynasty texts describe Emperor Xuanzong comparing Lady Yang to a "sleeping crabapple." Su Shi's poem further cemented its romantic image. Its delicate nature earned it the nickname "heartbreak flower."
Meaning: Expressing "faithful waiting." During the Ming-Qing period, "crabapple hairpins" became popular betrothal gifts, symbolizing "a lifetime of blossoms." The crabapples at Beijing's Forbidden City's Snow Pavilion隐喻 imperial expectations of fidelity.
7. Cotton Rose (Hibiscus mutabilis): The Frost-Defying Pledge
Origin: Five Dynasties records describe a ruler planting miles of hibiscus for his consort. Blooming through frost, it became a symbol of feminine constancy starting in the Song Dynasty.
Meaning: Representing "fidelity against all odds." Hunan's "hibiscus land" tradition involves floating inscribed leaves down rivers—if they don't sink, love is assured.
8. Gardenia: The Snow-Souled Vow
Origin: A 6th-century text records legends of "gardenia hearts." Its fruit resembling ancient wine vessels inspired the Tang-Song "gardenia knot" love token—flowers woven into symbolic knots.
Meaning: Symbolizing "eternal, pure love." The flower's transformation from green to white represents "deepening affection." Jiangnan women traditionally styled their hair with gardenia oil, signifying "united hearts."
9. Camellia: The Pine-Sturdy Promise
Origin: Song Dynasty texts praise its "pine's fortitude with peach blossom's grace." Winter blooming and intact petal-fall made it a Ming Dynasty symbol of constancy. Yunnan's legendary 10,000-blossom camellia tree has witnessed countless vows.
Meaning: Denoting "unwavering devotion." In courtship customs, red camellias propose love, white ones accept. The flower's whole-bloom fall symbolizes "perfect commitment."
10. Chinese Rose: The Everlasting Vigil
Origin: Han Dynasty palaces cultivated "eternal spring flowers" (ancient name for roses). Their year-round blooming led Yuan Dynasty poets to compare them to enduring love. Beijing's Miaofeng Mountain preserves century-old rose bushes that have witnessed innumerable pledges.
Meaning: Representing "evergreen love." Traditional "rose betrothal letters" pressed petals into wedding invitations for good fortune. The velvety petals metaphorically suggest "tenderness like water."
In the author's view, these love flowers bear the unique romantic code of Chinese people - the splendor of peony, the fierceness of red bean, and the symbiosis of double lotus They are not only natural creations, but also emotional languages that transcend time and space. People have creatively designed these flowers into various accessories, such as hairpins, pendants, and other new forms. The meaning of these accessories has been redefined, and in the fast-paced modern life, they continue infinitely, becoming an emotional bond connecting ancient and modern times. It also gives us more opportunities to understand the wisdom, aesthetics, and romance of ancient people thousands of years ago.
