Why have famous Cymbidium faberi varieties been lost? Uncovering those vanished orchid treasures

In the more than 300 years from the early Qing Dynasty to the founding of the People's Republic of China, a total of 187 famous Cymbidium faberi varieties were selected in our country, and 125 were lost. Among the more famous top-grade rare varieties are: 

1. The green Cymbidium faberi lotus-petal pure variety "Dakuaisu", also known as "Dakuisu". 

  In 1876, Xu Jilou of Jiaxing, Zhejiang discovered it in the Dakui study. In 1911 it went to Zheng Tongmei of Shuanglin, Wuxing, Zhejiang. In the spring of 1929 it bloomed 13 flowers; the buds were tightly round, the sheaths emerald green and transparent, and the tips of the sheaths firm and upright enough to pierce wood.       

  The three outer petals are short and broad, forming a lotus-shaped narcissus type; the petals are compact and neat, making it a smooth-mouth narcissus type; the tongue is large and round with green moss; the flower stalk is tall, upright, and sturdy; the flower posture is elegant, and the flower color is vivid emerald green. The pollinia on the column are flame yellow. It was hailed as the world's number one "Golden-Eye Pure" variety. It became extinct during the War of Resistance Against Japan in 1937. 

2. The green Cymbidium faberi plum-petal variety "Qiuzi". 

  In the early years of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was selected by Chen Qiutao of Taicang Town, Jiangsu. In the spring of 1857 it was exchanged with Luo Xinge of Jiaxing, Zhejiang for Dayipin. 

  The five petals are short and round, with tightly rolled edges and thick flesh; the tongue is a liu-hai tongue; the petals are separated at the base, and the holding petals are soft silkworm-moth shaped. It is the finest among green Cymbidium faberi plum-petal varieties. At the time, 3 plants were priced at one thousand taels of silver. There is a line drawing of it in "Lan Hui Tong Xin Lu". 

3. The red Cymbidium faberi round-petal variety "Gaizi". 

  The red Cymbidium faberi "Gaizi" was produced in the mountains of Fuyang, Zhejiang. Its buds are red, round like longan fruit; when the buds are arranged, the bud shape is like a lotus seed placed upside down; the petals are as thick as copper coins and shatter as soon as they fall to the ground. Fang Lanxia of Jiaxing, Zhejiang entrusted Zhang Shenglin to purchase it in the Fuchun Mountains. This flower is neither a plum-petal nor a narcissus type. Its 5 petals and tongue are all round and thick, making it the foremost famous petal variety through the ages. Liu Hanlin of Shanghai still keeps a central-hall Chinese painting of "Gaizi", from which one can see the uniquely unmatched charm of this flower. 

4. The green Cymbidium faberi plum-petal variety "Cuichan", also known as "Cuichan". 

  According to "Shu Hui Bian", it should be "Cuichan". It was selected and cultivated by Monk Cuifeng of Wensi Temple, and was later stolen. Monk Cuifeng died of resentment and illness in the 10th year of the Daoguang reign. Monk Cuifeng was a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang. The holding petals of "Cuichan" are like jadeite, that is, there are no hidden markings within the petals, and they are emerald green like jade. Its 5 petals are all round, making it the crown of green Cymbidium faberi plum-petal varieties. Unfortunately, it has already been lost. 

5. The green Cymbidium faberi "Xianchan" 

  In the Daoguang period it was produced in the mountainous area of Yanzhou. The flower-boat vendor Qian Jinxian of Dangkou sold it to a Zhou surname orchid enthusiast in Shangyu, and Luo Xinge of Jiaxing, Zhejiang obtained it. The leaves are narrow and slender; the flower stalk is slender, round, tall, and upright; the three outer petals are tightly round, broader and larger than "Chengmei" and "Guanding"; the holding petals are soft silkworm-moth shaped; and the tongue is a large round liu-hai tongue. Its charm is uniquely unmatched, with an air of unrivaled superiority. 

6. The red Cymbidium faberi "Tuanzi Dahe", also known as "Chi Tuanzi". 

  In 1868 it came from Tuanzi Village, Baoshan. The leaves are semi-pendant, thick, and hard, and the cross-section of the leaf blade is V-shaped. When the plant is not robust, the flowers are also ordinary; when grown in a large pot with robust plants, the three outer petals can be short and broad, with scissors-shaped holding petals and a large rolled tongue covered with red dots. Its reputation is great, but judging by flower quality it cannot be appreciated on the same level as the lotus-petal varieties of Cymbidium goeringii. 

7. The green lotus flower "Lu Hui He Ding". 

  In 1938, Yu Zhixiang of Shanghai obtained it from an orchid farmer in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. 

  The three outer petals are short and broad; the leaf texture is thick and glutinous; the holding petals are scissors-shaped; the tongue is large and round; the flower color is pretty green and turns yellow after being open for a long time. It is an outstanding one among modern green Cymbidium faberi varieties. However, it has already been lost, and even now people still counterfeit and swindle under its name, which shows how great its influence was. 

8. The green Cymbidium faberi "Da Lu He", also known as "Da Lu Hua". 

  The three outer petals are short and broad; the holding petals are mussel-shell shaped; the tongue is large and spread out; the flower shape surpasses "Lu Hui He Ding". The thin texture of the petals is its shortcoming, and the flower color is emerald green. Because it does not reach the thickness of lotus-petal varieties, the orchid community commonly calls it a lotus-shaped flower. This variety was last kept in the home of Zhuang Yansheng in Wuxi, Jiangsu, and was lost during the "Cultural Revolution". 

9. The green Cymbidium faberi plum-petal variety "Wan Qing Han Cui". 

  In 1946, Liu Shaode of Shaoxing, Zhejiang brought the flower to Wuxi, Jiangsu and sold it to Shen Yuanru. 

  The three outer petals are round-headed and finely rooted, short and broad with tightly rolled edges; the flower color is emerald green and the texture is thick; the petals are separated at the base and the holding petals are silkworm-moth shaped; the tongue is a large ru-yi tongue; the shoulders are level; the flower quality is upright, and the flower stalk is tall, with excellent charm. It is an outstanding modern green Cymbidium faberi variety and was lost during the "Cultural Revolution". 

10. The green flower butterfly "Cui Die" 

  A new species first discovered in 1936; it was initially obtained by Jiang Jinhui and later went to Shen Yuanru for cultivation. 

  The leaves are upright and slender, with extremely coarse serrations along the leaf margins, and the leaf groove is V-shaped. The veins are bright. The flower stalk is straight, bearing 5-7 flowers; the three outer petals are short and broad; the main petal covers the holding petals; the secondary petals are more than half butterfly-transformed; the green moss tongue is adorned with red dots; the edging is white; the shoulders are level and slightly flying backward. The colors are rich, with red, green, and white matching one another, incomparably beautiful. The flower shape is medium-sized. This is an exquisitely rare masterpiece among Cymbidium faberi flowers. This flower still appeared in 1989, and whether it is extinct is unknown. 

11. The red Cymbidium faberi "Hanbi". 

  In 1918 it was collected in the mountains by the Shaoxing, Zhejiang orchid farmer Liu Delin and sold to Wu Chunbai of Hangzhou. 

"Hanbi" is a plum-petal variety that turns from red to pure green. Its flower shape closely resembles "Cuimei"; both have semi-hard separated-base holding petals and dragon-swallowing tongues. The outer three petals of "Hanbi" are a bit rounder and broader than those of "Cuimei". The greatest difference lies in whether the red-to-green transition is pure. "Cuimei" does not turn pure when changing from red to green. Its flower stalk and flower stem have purplish red. "Hanbi" turns green and pure, and both the flower stalk and flower stem are pure green. What is now called "Hanbi" is all "Cuimei". Whether "Hanbi Mei" still exists remains to be verified. 

12. The green Cymbidium faberi narcissus-type pure variety "Xue Ou". 

  The time when "Xue Ou" was selected and cultivated is unknown. It was a treasured rarity secretly kept in the homes of Bai Tao and Shen Yangqing in Wuxi, Jiangsu. 

  Among Cymbidium faberi flowers, this is the only modern narcissus-type pure variety whose holding petals truly form a pouch with white tips. It is truly a top-grade rare variety among modern green Cymbidium faberi varieties, kept secret and not shown to others, much less transferred, until it was exterminated during the "Cultural Revolution". 

13. The Cymbidium faberi golden narcissus "Fan Shi Jin Xian". 

  During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty it came from the Fan family of Changshu. 

  The bud sheath changes from green to glassy to colored, commonly called "bud sheath three color changes". The petals are short and broad with fine roots, level shoulders, chicken-bean-shell semi-hard holding petals, and a large liu-hai tongue. The flower color is like pumpkin flower, golden yellow; the flower stalk is slender and tall. It is an peerless rare treasure. In more than 300 years, only this one golden narcissus type has appeared among Cymbidium faberi flowers. It had already become extinct during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. 

14. The Cymbidium faberi white-flowered pure-heart variety "Dong Fang Su Bai". 

  "Dong Fang Su Bai" is a small lotus-type white flower, a white-tongue peach-cheek pure variety. Among Chinese orchids, the rarest flower color is paper white, that is, "true white". After being open for a long time, the two cheeks take on a red glow and become even more delicate and charming. It is truly a rare treasure of the world. 

15. The green Cymbidium faberi plum-petal pure variety "Sheng Lin Mei Su". 

  "Sheng Lin Mei Su" came from the mountains of Fuyang, Zhejiang. At first a woodcutter picked the flower and stuck it in his firewood bundle, where it was discovered by Zhang Shenglin, who asked the woodcutter to go into the mountains to search for it. It was found only the following year. Zhang Shenglin brought the flower to Xu Jilou in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, and the two men cultivated it together. 

  The three outer petals are rounded; the holding petals are semi-hard silkworm-moth shaped; the tongue is a ru-yi tongue. Among Cymbidium faberi flowers, a pure plum-petal variety is truly a top-grade superior variety. Unfortunately, it was lost long ago.