Manjusaka, also known as the Flower of the Other Shore: Flower Language, Legends, and How It Differs from Mandarava

Manjusaka is also called the red spider lily, or by the alternative name “Shezi Flower”. It is the legendary “flower of the underworld”, growing mainly in dark, damp places, and is regarded by people as a symbol of ill omen. Below, let us take a look together at Manjusaka's flower language and legends, and how it differs from Mandarava.

I. Introduction to Manjusaka

Manjusaka comes from the Lotus Sutra. Its original name is Maha-Mandarava-Manjusaka, meaning the red flower that blooms in the heavenly realm. Also, according to Volume One of the Lotus Sutra Meaning Records by Fayun of the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, Manjusaka is translated as "red cluster flower".

1. Morphological characteristics

Manjusaka's Chinese scientific names: Manjusaka, spider lily, Lycoris, red spider lily, white spider lily. It is a type of Lycoris, the blood-red spider lily, a perennial herbaceous plant; underground it has a spherical bulb covered with a dark brown membranous tunic, 1-3 cm in diameter. It produces leaves in autumn; the leaves are narrowly strap-shaped, about 15 cm long and about 0.5 cm wide, with blunt tips, dark green, with a pale green band in the middle.

2. Growth habits

(1) Manjusaka mainly grows in dark, damp places. It is highly cold-tolerant, likes partial shade, and also tolerates full sun; it likes moisture and also tolerates drought. The high-temperature limit that wild varieties can endure is a daily average temperature of 24°C.

(2) It can grow in all types of soil, with loose, fertile humus soil being best. The habitat of wild varieties is red soil.

(3) It has a habit of summer dormancy.

3. Main producing areas

The main viewing destinations include Dali and Lijiang in Yunnan, Taroko and Matsu in Taiwan, China, Hidaka in Japan, and Jiangsu, among other places.

II. The flower language of Manjusaka

The beauty of Manjusaka is an ominous beauty of the eerie, disaster, death, and separation: a startling crimson, like fire, like blood.

1. Flower language in different countries

(1) China: graceful and pure

(2) Japan: sorrowful memories

(3) Korea and South Korea: mutual longing

2. Flower language by color

Red Manjusaka flower language: endless eternal life, the precursor to world destruction, the summons of the other shore

III. The legends of Manjusaka

Legend 1

According to legend, long, long ago, the heavenly realm was covered with large patches of red flowers. Their fragrance had a magical power that could make people recall events from their past lives. Guarding these flowers were two spirits: a flower spirit named Manju and a leaf spirit named Saka. They had guarded the spider lily for thousands of years, yet had never met, because when the flowers bloom there are no leaves, and when there are leaves there are no flowers. They missed each other madly and were tormented by this pain. Finally one day, they decided to violate the gods' rule and secretly meet once. That year, Manjusaka's brilliant red flowers, set off by eye-catching green, bloomed with exceptional, bewitching beauty.

The gods blamed them. Manju and Saka were cast into reincarnation and cursed never to be together, suffering tribulations in the mortal world life after life. From then on, Manjusaka was also called the spider lily, meaning the flower that blooms in heaven. Its flowers are shaped like palms praying toward heaven. This flower blooms on the road to the Yellow Springs. In every reincarnation of Manju and Saka, when they smell the fragrance of the spider lily on the road to the Yellow Springs, they remember their past selves, then swear never to part, and in the next life fall once more into the cursed cycle of reincarnation.

Legend 2

According to legend, after countless reincarnations, one day the Buddha came here and saw a flower on the ground of extraordinary bearing, the demonic spider lily red as fire. The Buddha came before it and looked carefully, and with one glance saw the mystery within. The Buddha was neither sad nor angry. He suddenly threw back his head and laughed three times, reached out, and pulled the flower from the ground. Holding the flower in his hand, he said with emotion: “In your past lives you longed for each other but could not meet; after countless reincarnations, you loved each other but could not stay together. So-called partings and reunions are nothing but the arising and ceasing of karma. You bear the curse of the heavenly court, which makes your fate end yet you do not scatter, your karma cease yet you do not part. I cannot undo this vicious spell for you, so I will take you to the other shore, and let you bloom all over the fields there.”

On the way to the other shore, the Buddha passed the River of Three Crossings in the underworld and accidentally got his clothes wet in the river water. The red flower the Buddha was carrying happened to be placed there. When the Buddha reached the other shore, he untied the flower wrapped in his clothes and looked again, and found that the fiery red flower had turned pure white. The Buddha pondered for a moment, then laughed greatly and said: great joy is not equal to great sorrow; remembering is not equal to forgetting. Right and wrong, how can they be divided? Good flower, good flower. The Buddha planted this flower on the other shore and called it Mandarava, and because it was on the other shore, also called it the spider lily.

But the Buddha did not know that on the River of Three Crossings, the flower whose color had been washed away by the river water had dripped all its red into the river, which wailed in grief all day long, moving all who heard it to sorrow. Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, whose supernatural powers are extraordinary, learned that Mandarava had already been born, so he came to the riverbank, took out a seed, and threw it into the river. Before long, a flower even redder and more brilliant than before grew from the water. Ksitigarbha took it in his hand and sighed: You have escaped and attained great freedom, so why leave this boundless hatred in a hell already boundless in its sea of suffering? I will make you a guiding envoy, leading them toward reincarnation. Just remember this one color of yours. Since the other shore already has Mandarava, I will call you Manjusaka.

From then on, there were two completely different spider lilies in the world: one growing on the other shore, and one growing by the River of Forgetfulness.

Legend 3

It is said that the spider lily blooms only in the Yellow Springs, and is generally believed to be the guiding flower that blooms only by the River of Three Crossings in the underworld and on the other shore of the River of Forgetfulness.

The spider lily is as gorgeously vivid red as blood, covering the road leading to hell, and it has flowers without leaves, making it the only flower of the underworld. The fragrance of the spider lily is said to have magic power, able to awaken the memories of the dead from before their death. Along the road to the Yellow Springs these flowers bloom in great masses; seen from afar, they look like a carpet spread of blood, and because they are red as fire they are also likened to the “road lit by fire”, the only scenery and color along this long road to the Yellow Springs.

When the soul crosses the River of Forgetfulness, it forgets everything from before death. All that once was is left on the other shore, and the deceased follow the guidance of these flowers toward the prison of the underworld.

Interpretation of the meaning of Manjusaka:

Manjusaka (the spider lily) produces leaves only after its flowers fall, and the flower and leaf can never be seen together, so some people sentimentally use it as a metaphor for love without result. But Buddhists say, “Even if love has no result, the other shore will still bloom with flourishing flowers.”

I once heard a saying: “The meaning of a person living on lies in their hope, unyielding spirit, and courage toward life; if a person loses life's hope, unyielding spirit, and courage because of the difficulties, setbacks, and misfortunes they encounter, then all that awaits them is pain, despair, and decadence.” The result is not the end; with hope and courage, the other shore will still bloom with flourishing flowers. This is true of love, career, and life alike!

IV. The differences between Manjusaka and Mandarava

Difference 1: Differences in morphological characteristics

1. Manjusaka

Manjusaka is a perennial herbaceous plant with thick underground stems. The leaves are linear and emerge from the base after the flowering period. The flower scape is 30-60 cm tall, with an umbel borne at the top; the flowers are bright red, the floral tube is relatively short, and the tepals are narrowly oblanceolate, curling outward, with the stamens and style protruding. Its bearing is elegant. The flowering period is from July to September, blooming in July and growing in summer.

2. Mandarava

Mandarava's scientific name is white spider lily. It has a tunicate bulb, nearly spherical, with a purple-brown outer coat. The leaves are thin and strap-shaped, 0.5-1 cm wide, with blunt tips and a pale green band in the middle. The flower scape is sturdy and upright, 30-50 cm tall, with 5-7 flowers in a terminal umbel, funnel-shaped, white; the edges of the tepals are wrinkled and curl backward. It produces capsules.

Difference 2: Color difference

Manjusaka: red spider lily

Mandarava: white spider lily

V. When does Manjusaka bloom?

Manjusaka generally blooms from July to September, with July being the peak flowering period. At the same time, the spider lily likes scattered light and dislikes strong light, so the light should not be too strong. It needs acidic, sandy, breathable, well-drained soil. Bulbs generally need 2 to 3 years before they are more likely to bloom.

VI. Is Manjusaka poisonous?

Besides its gorgeous appearance, it is also a coexistence of poison and medicine. Although Manjusaka is highly ornamental, its rhizome is poisonous. The bulb contains the alkaloid lycorine, which can cause symptoms such as vomiting and spasms and has a clear effect on the central nervous system. It must not be eaten casually, but it can be used for sedation, inhibition of drug metabolism, and anti-cancer effects. Although poisonous, the bulb can be eaten after processing and is also used as a medicinal material.

VII. How to grow Manjusaka?

1. Temperature

Manjusaka loves a warm climate, is slightly cold-tolerant and slightly heat-tolerant, and its optimal growth temperature is 15-25°C. Growth is restricted when summer temperatures are above 30°C, and it can safely overwinter when winter temperatures are above 0°C.

2. Sunlight

Manjusaka likes scattered light and dislikes strong light, so the light should not be too strong. Apart from appropriate shading during high summer temperatures, it can be kept in a bright place in other seasons. Although it is shade-tolerant, insufficient light will lead to sparse flowering.

3. Water

Manjusaka likes a moist environment, is slightly drought-tolerant, and fears waterlogging. Spring and autumn are the main growing seasons, during which it should be watered frequently to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged, to prevent the bulb from rotting. Summer and winter are dormant seasons, when water should be controlled; both high temperature and high humidity in summer and low temperature and high humidity in winter will cause the bulb to rot.

4. Soil

Manjusaka is not particular about soil, with loose, fertile humus soil being best. But after all, it is a southern flower, so the soil should be acidic, somewhat sandy, and the kind that is breathable and well-drained.

5. Pruning

After Manjusaka blooms, the flower scape should be cut off to reduce the loss of nutrients.

6. Repotting

Flowering plants can be repotted each year in spring after the weather warms up again. When repotting, try to retain the soil around the roots, prune the branches and aged roots, apply sufficient organic fertilizer at the bottom of the pot, water thoroughly after planting to settle the roots, provide shade, and keep the potting soil moist without waterlogging. After the plant recovers, resume normal care.

“The spider lily blooms on the other shore. When it blooms, no leaves can be seen; when there are leaves, no flower can be seen. Flower and leaf never meet, forever missing each other.” This is the best description of Manjusaka.

Some professional knowledge is reprinted from the internet