An Introduction to Appreciating Huilan Orchids: Key Aesthetic Points and Methods Explained

Author: Qiu Tian Wen She

I. An Overview of Huilan Orchid Appreciation

Chinese orchids differ from other flowers in that they are one of the plants endemic to China. That they have been loved by people for thousands of years is due not only to factors such as flower quality, flower color, fragrance, and leaf form, but even more because people have further personified their various characteristics. The ancients used objects to express their aspirations and conveyed their feelings through things; the orchid, because of its noble purity and its unchanging essence through wind and rain, has been widely admired. Because it grows in mountain valleys and remains fragrant even where no one is present, it is hailed as the gentleman among flowers. In the Four Gentlemen of plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, their qualities of defying snow and wind, fearing no destruction, being hollow within and straight without, and braving the cold and defying frost inspire deep admiration.

Because Huilan orchids are widely distributed, have a long history of cultivation, and feature tall inflorescences that rise above the leaves, dignified flower quality, thick petals, intense fragrance, fluttering and unrestrained leaf posture, and broad, substantial leaves with texture, they are widely cherished by people. Here, the author focuses on writing down some impressions of Huilan orchid aesthetic appreciation for everyone to discuss together.

In terms of outward appearance, the appreciation of Huilan orchids is about exploring and enjoying how well the orchid blooms. Derived from the Chinese cultural concept of "round heaven and square earth," the appreciation of Chinese orchids emphasizes symmetry, the harmony of square and round, and the unity of inner and outer. What we generally appreciate is the "axisymmetric" flower form, that is, the common regular-form flower, whose left-right symmetry is centered on the central line of the flower shape, with the object being equal on both sides of the central line, almost identical, reflecting a balanced and steady beauty. Chinese architecture is a typical example of this standard of appreciation, and likewise in Chinese orchid aesthetics there is such a standard, reflecting the Chinese aesthetic standard of Chinese orchids: simplicity, harmony, and balanced steadiness.

    The Five Gates and Eight Forms of Huilan and the petal-shape theory of Chunlan together constitute the traditional aesthetic appreciation standard for Chinese orchids. What is traditional must, of course, be carried forward and inherited, but it must also advance with the times and be continually enriched in its appreciation standards. In the aesthetic appreciation of color in Chinese orchids, plainness is prized: tender green is first, old green second, and yellow comes next. All others are miscellaneous and do not enter the ranks! Any flower with mottled and mixed colors does not enter the ranks! On this point, the concepts for Chunlan and Huilan are the same. In the traditional aesthetics of Chinese orchids, the color standard is actually related to the philosophy of life of our ancient people. The ancients emphasized quieting the mind and taking no action, and disliked seeking attention and favor. They emphasized showing aspiration through indifference and reaching far through tranquility, and from this came the standard of plainness and tenderness. However, as the times develop, our standards for Chinese orchid aesthetics also change with the progress of the times, and we continually enrich and supplement them with new elements. Nowadays, some colored flowers have gradually become accepted by the broad community of orchid enthusiasts because of their vivid flower colors.

    Therefore, regarding the aesthetic and appreciation standards for Chinese orchids, we must both inherit and carry forward! We must maintain and pass on the good aspects of our traditional Chinese orchid aesthetic standards, and even more, advance with the times and continually enrich and develop the connotations of Chinese orchid aesthetic standards, so that they can both conform to traditional aesthetic standards and meet the aesthetic and appreciation needs of modern people. And its core, I believe, is harmony. That is, the overall harmonious unity of plant color, plant form, flower form, flower color, and fragrance.

II. The Traditional Cultural Foundation of Huilan Orchid Appreciation

In the past, Huilan orchids originated in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and now they flourish throughout the entire Yangtze and Yellow River basins, including Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Anhui, and even as far overseas as Japan and South Korea and other countries. The lands of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the land of fish and rice, have gathered cultural talents through the ages, with developed culture and rich cultural deposits; they are regions where traditional Chinese culture flourished. Japan and South Korea and other countries are countries deeply influenced by our Chinese civilization, so the Huilan orchids growing there have also been deeply stamped with the brand of traditional Chinese culture.

More than two thousand years ago in China, numerous heroes stood side by side and a hundred schools of thought contended; the thoughts of the various masters influenced generation after generation of later Chinese people. Confucianism, with benevolence and the doctrine of the mean; Mohism, with universal love and opposition to aggression; Daoism, with quietude and non-action; Buddhism, with cultivating nature and encouraging goodness... The profound thoughts contained in each school still shine with incomparable brilliance today, and Confucius's Confucian thought, because of its greater comprehensiveness and its characteristics of cultivating the self and governing the world, has been even more revered and inherited by later generations.

Chinese literati followed the methods of Confucianism, advocated the way of Confucius and Mencius, and their appreciation and aesthetic vision also conformed to traditional Confucian thought. The petal-type theory of Chunlan, the classification of flower buds, head shapes, and flower quality and their interrelationships, the classification of flower quality, aesthetic value, and the humanistic concepts they contain, have at their core the unity of heaven and humanity, using the orchid as a metaphor for people, and cultivating orchids to cultivate the self. The appreciation and aesthetics of Huilan orchids can go a step further on the basis of Chunlan appreciation. Chunlan has one flower per stem, while Huilan has nine flowers per stem. Apart from the inflorescence, the leaf posture, leaf texture, and leaf length are all different, and their growth habits also differ. Orchids and huilan: study them for the family, govern with them for the state. Chunlan emphasizes inner cultivation, while Huilan emphasizes engagement with the world; their cores complement the core concepts of Confucianism.

Therefore, it can be said that the thought and aesthetic orientation of traditional Chinese culture laid the cultural and aesthetic foundation for Chinese orchid appreciation, and this is even more true for Huilan orchids.

1. The Internal Connection Between Traditional Chinese Culture and Huilan Orchid Appreciation

China has been known since ancient times as a land of propriety and ceremony. Among the Confucian Six Arts, "ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics," ritual is ranked first. Traditional etiquette can be seen everywhere in Chinese culture and life. When people appreciate Huilan orchids, this is also reflected in the naming of certain parts of the orchid, such as "baoquan peng," "zhigui she," and "ruyi she," all of which implicitly contain traditional Chinese etiquette. Meeting someone with a fist-and-palm salute, one person holding a gui tablet while all goes well and everything proceeds as desired; gui, ruyi, and the like are ritual vessels commonly used in ancient China.

Chinese culture emphasizes walking the great way directly and being open and upright. People appreciate the tall, elevated stance of Huilan orchids, the tall and straight stems, and the fluttering, unrestrained leaf posture; these coincide with the moral thought and ways of conducting oneself admired by Chinese people. "Chujia" implies noble morality and outstanding excellence; when appreciating the leaf posture of Huilan orchids, it is also described as elegant and unrestrained, which likewise reflects the attitude of traditional Chinese literati toward people and things.

Traditional Chinese culture emphasizes not sitting unless the mat is properly placed, not eating unless the meat is properly cut, and doing everything according to rules, with tension and relaxation having proper measure. People also have such requirements for the flower quality of Huilan flowers. In the traditional appreciation standards for orchids, emphasis is placed on "level shoulders, elevated stance, loose outside, tight inside, thick petals, and firm structure," which is close to the traditional aesthetic views of our people. Level shoulders imply upright character, thinking without evil; loose outside implies treating others with calmness and tolerance; tight inside implies inner self-reflection and principles in handling matters; thick petals imply being mature and steady, not frivolous, and generous and steady toward people and things; firm structure implies an unyielding iron backbone and uprightness; flower retention implies noble virtue, and whether it is good and how long it lasts implies whether a person's moral conduct remains consistent from beginning to end, with a proper beginning and end.

The beauty of Huilan lies in its momentum; momentum is a variation based on the regular petal form. Compared with regular-form flowers, this variation is more infectious and conducive to the expression of artistic conception and ideas. Momentum is a kind of modeling and composition. The pairing of flowers, leaves, and pot, the arrangement of buds and the turning of stems, winding paths leading to secluded spots, complete the composition and modeling, and finally the face is revealed; the change of facial appearance (petal form) constitutes emotional expression. A series of modelings and arrangements, a series of pavilions and terraces, a series of figure-like displays emerge: the central palace is like a person's face, the outer petals like a person's bearing and behavior; the movement of the face, every gesture, is full of life and emotion! Therefore, Huilan is like a stage play, more infectious than the inner monologue of Chunlan.

Momentum is a kind of echo and communication; the turning of the Huilan stem and the changes of the central palace and outer petals are like a person turning around, looking back, raising a hand, about to speak, completing the artistic conception of the unity of heaven and humanity. Momentum is a kind of artistic conception, freehand brushwork, and totem; momentum is a kind of balance, harmony, proportion, and aesthetics. The complete form of a Huilan orchid implies the artistic conception and dreams within the heart.

2. Traditional Chinese Painting and Calligraphy and Huilan Orchid Appreciation

Our country's culture is profound and interconnected, and traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy also have a very deep internal connection with the appreciation of Chinese orchids. Speaking of our country's unique calligraphy aesthetics, in our calligraphy aesthetic standards, zhen, cao, li, and zhuan are each different yet harmoniously unified. In the way of calligraphy, in structure it emphasizes balance, guarding the central palace, and releasing the strokes; it emphasizes that "where sparse, a horse can pass; where dense, not even wind can penetrate"; in brush intention, it emphasizes that the strokes be precise and well-executed, and that although the brush tip emerges, the brush intention remains contained. These key points are the same when applied to the appreciation of Huilan orchids. For the appreciation and aesthetics of Huilan orchids, as with the way of painting and calligraphy, attention must be paid to appreciating the central palace of the Chinese orchid. For the appreciation of a single flower, we require the flower shoulders to be level, the central palace to be tight, and the pairing of the central palace and the three outer petals to be harmonious and unified, and it should also look coordinated and balanced. Of course, appreciating Huilan flowers from the form of a single flower alone is not enough; one must also look at the whole. As for the spacing and posture of the flowers on the flower stem, the spacing is also required to be moderate, and the posture also emphasizes "bending and lifting to create grace"; the posture of each flower on the flower stem is like the posture of strokes in a character, requiring mutual echo from beginning to end and easy gazing back and forth.

Within the central palace, the pairing of the peng, tongue, and nose must be excellent; only the perfect combination of the outer three petals' petal forms and their positions in coordination with the central palace can make a perfect orchid that enters the ranks. The central palace is like the human heart: if the heart is upright, the shadow is upright; if the shadow is upright, the body is upright; if the body is upright, its quality is transcendent! How lofty its character!

In addition to the symmetric regular flower form, we must also note the appreciation of asymmetric flower forms among Chinese orchids, such as peony petals and tree-form flowers. This is reflected in the asymmetric beauty of a single flower and is the same as the appreciation of traditional painting and calligraphy. Besides axisymmetric aesthetics, I think there should also be the aesthetics of centrally symmetric flower forms, such as Sanxingdie and others. In Chinese orchid aesthetics, this is mainly reflected in the "strangeness" of Chinese orchids: multiple petals are distributed around the central palace of the orchid in central symmetry, harmonious and unified, likewise bringing a sense of beauty. But regardless of what petal form the outer three petals have, the quality of the central palace and how well the central palace and outer three petals coordinate directly relate to the level of taste and the quality of the Chinese orchid.   

As for an entire pot of Huilan orchids, the appreciation of Huilan orchids has even more in common with the way of calligraphy. In the overall composition of calligraphy, emphasis is placed on bending and lifting to create grace, echoing from beginning to end, and on the size, posture, and composition of each character in the whole work. Huilan appreciation coincides with calligraphic composition, placing even more emphasis on the posture and spacing of each flower on the flower stem and on the pairing of the flowers with the entire pot of grass. If Chunlan is a two-character or four-character regular-script horizontal banner or square album leaf in calligraphy, then Huilan is much richer in calligraphic forms: it can be a flowing, expansive running-script hanging scroll, or a powerful cursive "Man Jiang Hong" horizontal scroll. Whether the overall composition is harmonious and balanced is closely related to the shape and position of every character in the work. Perhaps a single character in it, viewed alone, has no particular beauty and even seems not to conform to calligraphic aesthetics, but at such times one must look at it in the context of the whole work. In the same way, Huilan aesthetics is also like this: whether a pot of orchids is good and beautiful or not depends not only on whether the flower form is harmonious and beautiful, but also on the overall harmony and beauty of the flowers, flower color, grass, grass form, and potting vessel.

As shown in the appreciation of peony-petal varieties of Huilan flowers, the composition of painting and calligraphy tacitly agrees with the core of Huilan appreciation: the strokes may be released and gathered freely, but their brush intention tightly guards the central palace, which is consistent with the appreciation requirements for a single flower. The strokes are scattered but their intention is not scattered; when released, they go beyond a thousand miles; when gathered, they are tranquil and silent; now left, now right, now right, now left; although leaning, they maintain central balance. Although the petals appear chaotic and disorderly, the whole is harmonious, maintaining central balance.

    Among Chinese orchids, Huilan orchids appear even more to have the bone strength of the flower because of their thick petals, and this accords with the emphasis on the bone strength of strokes in the way of calligraphy. Guanding, Loumei, and Dayipin can be compared to Yan Qinli: dignified in flower appearance, with broad petals; Duanmei, Chengmei, Yuanzi, and Qinghua can be compared to Liu Gongquan or Duobao Pagoda: beautiful in posture, upright and not deviant, with coordinated proportions; Lao Shanghai and Dangzi can be compared to Lingfei Jing and Lanting Xu: elegant in flower quality, with a soaring posture; Zheng Xiaohe can be compared to Wei stele calligraphy: vigorous and powerful, with winding strokes; Lao Jipin can be compared to Ou-style calligraphy: dignified and compact; Xin Jipin can be compared to Zhao Mengfu: dignified yet not lacking in agility...

Chinese literati who were often good at painting were also skilled in calligraphy; those good at calligraphy were also good at painting, and the two complemented each other. The composition, layout, and brushwork of traditional Chinese painting are also connected with the appreciation of Huilan orchids. Traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy emphasize in composition a lofty, ethereal artistic conception, which is related to our pursuit of the fluttering and unrestrained leaf posture of Huilan orchids; in layout, they emphasize being abundant yet not chaotic or mixed, while Huilan appreciation is connected through the overall pairing of the pot, the number of Huilan plants, and the flower stems. Some Huilan varieties have large grass and large flowers, requiring the use of somewhat larger pots; some Huilan have elegant flower appearances and slender branches and leaves, requiring us to use somewhat taller pots, and so on; in all cases, overall coordination and balance must be emphasized. In brushwork, there are texture strokes, dyeing, dots, and splashes; this we can see from the ancients' paintings of orchids: with just a few strokes, the spirit and charm of Huilan orchids are fully revealed.

The ancients mostly painted orchids in freehand style, which is related to the humanistic character and implied meaning contained in orchid discourse, pursuing the beauty of spirit and charm and the way of spiritual likeness, not constrained by small details, capable and magnanimous. Meticulous-style paintings of orchids are mostly seen in ancient orchid manuals, striving to show the details of Huilan varieties and their differences from other varieties.

3. Traditional Chinese Architecture and Huilan Orchid Appreciation

Traditional Chinese architecture is mostly of brick-and-wood structure, emphasizing axial symmetry and balance, with advance and retreat, tall facades, and deep courtyards. This is consistent with the composition of a single Huilan flower and the characteristics of its inflorescence. Apart from strange flowers, peony petals, tree-form flowers, and chrysanthemum petals, all regular-form orchids conform to this characteristic, also emphasizing central axial symmetry and left-right balance. The appreciation of an entire pot of flowers conforms to the layout concepts of traditional Chinese gardens: changing scenery with each step, winding and twisting, with pavilions and terraces, with waterside pavilions and corridors, with mountains and water; orchids have roots and leaves, stems and flowers; flowers have noses and tongues, main and secondary petals; leaf posture has turns and bends, leanings and overturnings. As the saying goes, "The pot is half hidden, the flower is half closed; seek not release, fear not withering." The overall modeling of Huilan flowers and the characteristics of a single flower are connected and linked with the composition and layout of traditional Chinese gardens and the structural features of their pavilions, terraces, and towers, containing rich humanistic concepts.

4. Elements of Chinese Opera and Huilan Flower Appreciation

In traditional Chinese opera, elements such as the facial makeup and face-revealing and modeling of Peking opera and Kunqu opera are also connected with Huilan appreciation. Viewed from the front, a single Huilan flower has a nose and a tongue; the secondary petals resemble a face, and the main petal resembles hair or a crown. Different varieties of Huilan flowers fully display different facial features, just as different characters in opera have different facial makeup. The red or green of the flower, paired with different flower appearances, fully displays the images of sheng, dan, jing, mo, and chou in opera.

Therefore we can also appreciate Huilan orchids through personification. The dignified and steady Chengmei and Duanmei can be called jing; the steady and rounded Guanding can be called laosheng; the graceful and ethereal Shanghai, Dangzi, and Jiepei can be called xiaodan; the refined and unrestrained Dayipin, Loumei, and Qinghua, like Zhaixian, can be called xiaosheng; the Yuanzi, who holds the gui tablet and speaks directly, can be called an upright and loyal minister; Panlu and Ranzi can be called chou.

5. The Golden Ratio and Modern Aesthetics in Huilan Flower Appreciation.

There are many, many varieties of Huilan orchids, but a good, beautiful, unforgettable variety must be harmonious and balanced as a whole. What is harmonious balance? The author believes it means that the number of flowers relative to the height of the flower stem, the height of the flower stem relative to the overall height, and the shape and height of the flower pot relative to the length of the orchid leaves all have harmonious and balanced proportions. In aesthetic terms, this means the proportions of each part to the whole conform to the golden ratio (0.618); only thus is the whole coordinated and balanced, giving a sense of balance with proper tension and relaxation and stillness within movement.

6. The Relationship Between Daoist Thought and Huilan Orchid Appreciation

As an important component of traditional Chinese culture, Daoist culture has also profoundly influenced Chinese people. Daoist culture emphasizes the "unity of heaven and humanity," "the balance of yin and yang," and "inner realm and outer reflection," and these ideas have also been widely accepted by Chinese people, profoundly influencing Chinese people's ways of thinking and conducting themselves in the world. Traditional Chinese culture, being inclusive, has well absorbed some beneficial ideas from Daoist thought and embodied them in orchid appreciation.

For the aesthetics and appreciation of Huilan orchids, combining various moral indicators gives them symbolic meaning. Your depth of understanding of her and your level of appreciation can also reflect a person's own moral cultivation, personal ideals, pursuits, and value orientation. The three outer petals of the Huilan flower form a rounded shape, and the central palace's mouth and tongue are broad, conforming to the Daoist idea of "round heaven and square earth," and also tacitly agreeing with the attitude toward handling matters pursued by Chinese literati: "round outside, square inside." The so-called "inner realm and outer reflection" means that one's understanding of external things reflects one's inner world, one's aesthetic views, and one's own cultivation, learning, accomplishment, moral views, and social views. All these complement and verify one another. Reflected in Huilan appreciation, a person's appreciation of the Huilan's beautiful flower appearance, lofty elevated posture, distant fragrance, and graceful and unrestrained leaf posture also in turn promotes that person's own moral cultivation. This is also the principle by which cultivating orchids can cultivate body and mind.

7. Orchid Fragrance and Huilan Fragrance---On the Fragrance of Huilan Orchids

The ancients put it well: "To associate with a good person is like entering a room of zhilan orchids; after a long time, one no longer smells their fragrance. To associate with a bad person is like entering a shop of salted fish; after a long time, one no longer smells their stench." The ancients used orchid fragrance to imply the character of a gentleman: distant and enduring, refreshing to the heart, influencing those who spend time with him. If what we discussed above about the beauty of Chinese orchids is only her external expression, then the fragrance of Chinese orchids is their soul. An orchid without fragrance is like a person without a soul, lacking vitality, and this is also one of the reasons Chinese orchids are widely loved.

The orchid is the fragrance of kings, and fragrance is the soul of Huilan. The fragrance of Huilan is stronger, more enduring, and more distant than that of Chunlan. Some varieties must be smelled from afar, quietly, and does this not follow the same principle as the distant influence of a gentleman's virtue!?

III. Harmony of Body and Function Promotes Growth; Balancing Yin and Yang in Orchid Cultivation

An orchid enthusiast posted, emphasizing the "doctrine of the mean" in orchid cultivation, and the core of the "doctrine of the mean" is "harmony." Today the country proposes the concepts of "peaceful development and harmonious development," seeing harmony in prosperity and development in harmony. Extending this in detail to our orchid cultivation, I personally believe that factors such as water, fertilizer, potting medium, pots, and management must be even more harmonious and unified. The orchid, as an ornamental flower for cultivating temperament, requires that true orchid lovers first cultivate their own state of mind well, appreciate its cultural characteristics, not be swayed by market fluctuations, and use orchids to cultivate the heart, feeling from them the beauty of tranquility and harmony!

The concept of "harmony" is in the same lineage as traditional Chinese cultural thought, or rather it is itself an embodiment of our traditional cultural thought. The way of Confucius and Mencius and Confucian doctrine have flowed on to this day, demonstrating the powerful vitality of Chinese culture. These ideas that once shone brilliantly in Chinese history can still be used by us today, showing that "harmony" is a universal principle in the world: only harmony enables development, and only harmony enables endless life! This method applies to the survival and development of all things in the world. It applies equally to the growth of plants and to the growth of orchids.

A hundred years ago, Mr. Kang, Mr. Liang, Mr. Tan, and others carried out reform and restoration, proposing the idea of "Chinese learning as the body, Western learning as the function." Taking ourselves as the foundation, they learned and used the advanced productive forces and science and technology of foreign countries at that time to strengthen the nation and its people. The way of body and function is also the essence of our Chinese tradition. Philosophically speaking, it means the inner essence and outward expression of things. The external promotes the internal, and the internal gives rise to the external. The "body" is objective, fundamental, and the essence of things; the "function" is subjective and the outward expression. Only when "body and function are in harmony" and inner and outer are balanced can vigorous development occur! This method applies to all things in the world and is the objective law of interaction among all animate and inanimate things. The growth of animals and plants and the growth patterns of orchids all proceed according to this as well.

    Most Chinese orchids belong to the terrestrial orchids. They all take root in soil and have very strong, massive fleshy root systems. They like shade and tolerate dryness, and have very strong vitality. For an orchid, its roots are its "body," and its flowers and leaves are its "function." The roots are the foundation; everything about the orchid arises from them, and they are its main organs for absorbing nutrients and water. Orchid leaves are the function; they are products growing on the foundation and themselves carry out photosynthesis, participating in the orchid's growth. Flowers are the orchid's reproductive organs; flowers form seeds, and seeds sprout new shoots. The three are inseparable, organically unified, and none can be missing.

Orchid grass is the body, and the external cultivation environment is the function. Good orchid grass also requires a good cultivation environment. Orchid grass is the body, and the orchid grower is the function. With good orchid grass, the orchid grower must also carefully and patiently care for and cultivate it according to the orchid's nature. At this time, the orchid grass and the orchid grower exchange body and function, each being body and function for the other! People can cultivate and select excellent orchid varieties, and good orchid grass can also gradually adapt, in the grower's hands, to the local climate and the grower's set of cultivation methods. This is where the so-called "adapting to the pot" comes from. The process of cultivation is the process of mutual adaptation and interaction between the orchid and the person. At this time, the orchid's evolutionary characteristics are fully manifested, and the joy of growing orchids comes from this as well!

When the way of body and function is combined with orchids, it can also extend to the appreciation of orchid art. From the orchid's own leaf shape and leaf posture, flower color and flower form, to the pots used for planting, all can be analyzed and managed through the way of body and function. The orchid is the body, and the pot is the function. What kind of orchid you grow determines what kind of pot you need, including the pot's material, size, and shape, all of which must be harmoniously unified with the orchid grass. Just imagine: large grass in a small pot, or small grass planted in a large pot, are obviously both unsuitable. Zisha, ceramic pots, and clay pots each have their own particularities, including the shape and decoration of the pot and the inscriptions on it, all of which have much to consider. For a pot of orchid grass, in addition to the orchid itself, choosing a good and appropriate pot also has the wonderful effect of adding the finishing touch!

In growing orchids, besides emphasizing the combination of body and function, one must also emphasize the balance of yin and yang! All things in the world are governed by yin and yang. It is said that people have male and female, animals have male and female, and plants also have male and female; these are only very superficial manifestations of yin and yang. The true doctrine of yin and yang, as manifested in living organisms, is very mysterious and infinitely divisible!

For orchid grass, newly potted grass is yin, and adapted grass is yang; weak grass is yin, and strong grass is yang; the underside of leaves is yin, and the upper surface is yang; orchid roots are yin, and orchid leaves are yang; pot soil is yin, and the pot is yang; water in the pot is yin, and fertilizer in the pot is yang; water for the orchid is yin, and the orchid grass is yang; as for the water used to water orchids, morning and evening water is yin, and noon water is yang; winter and spring are yin, and spring and summer are yang. When all matters are harmonious and yin and yang are in accord, flowers are formed. Chunlan likes shade, while Huilan grass likes sun; Chunlan mostly grows on the shady side of slopes, while Huilan grass mostly grows on the sunny side of slopes. The difference in their growing environments also explains the yin-yang characteristics of different types of orchid grass.

Therefore, throughout the four seasons, morning, evening, and noon all have their own watering methods and their own subtleties for orchid grass. Only by properly combining the strength or weakness of the orchid grass, the number of leaves, the changes of the seasons, the size of the pot, the coarseness or fineness of the potting medium, and the amount of fertilizer, observing carefully and watering meticulously, can one achieve the very best! Water strongly growing grass heavily; small leaves must be sprinkled finely. Because strong grass grows luxuriantly and has a developed root system, the orchid roots have already fully spread out, so it can be flushed with plenty of water, as long as granular medium is used so that water drains freely and roots do not rot. Newly potted grass, because the root system has not yet grown out, must be watered even more carefully; too much water will inevitably cause waterlogging and root rot. This is what is meant by using small water and yin water: water thoroughly to settle the roots, then simply set it aside. Nowadays, orchid growers generally pay attention to the time of watering; generally, watering in the evening is better, and this is also experience summed up by many generations of orchid growers. After a day of growth and exposure to sunlight, harmful gases and substances are produced in the pot soil. Watering at this time can lower the pot soil temperature and carry away waste gases and harmful substances accumulated in the pot. But this is only a general principle; every rule has exceptions. As long as you grasp the orchid's characteristics and the concepts of yin and yang, you can act according to the method at any time without being rigidly bound. By then, your watering level and orchid-growing experience will have improved again. As the saying goes, "When there is no move in the chest, there is naturally a move." As long as you grasp the objective laws in the orchid grass growth process, when to water is determined by the needs of the orchid grass. The key is that you must deeply understand the growth laws and temperament of orchid grass, and deeply understand the yin-yang changes in the orchid grass growth process. For home balcony orchid growing, pots will inevitably vary in size. When watering large and small pots, the water amount must be sufficient and watered through in one go; the only difference is that large pots use more water and small pots use less. When growing orchids in coarse granular soil, air and water permeability are both good; compared with fine medium, one can water more and more frequently. This is what is called wet cultivation, and this is what is called "yang water." Therefore, the yin and yang of water can be explained from the amount of water and the time and season of watering.

    All the various factors in orchid matters have yin-yang characteristics, and orchid grass itself is also a unity of yin and yang. Changes in the yin and yang of all these factors affect the health of the orchid grass. Like people, if yin and yang are not in harmony, illness will surely arise. Internal yin-yang disharmony, as well as disharmony between internal factors and external factors, can affect the normal growth of orchid grass. Specific manifestations include yellowing, scorched tips, and leaf decline, and in more serious cases, an unfavorable external environment can also easily breed pathogens that harm the orchid grass.

The external environment is the function, and the orchid grass itself is the body. Adjust the external environment and factors well to promote the body through the function, making them beneficial to the growth and development of the body; train the body itself so that it can adapt to changes in external environmental conditions; combine body and function, balance and coordinate, grasp the yin-yang changes in the orchid grass cultivation process, grasp the body-function factors in orchid grass cultivation, and create a good orchid cultivation environment. Only then can the orchid grass grow healthily.

     IV. Conclusion

Chinese culture has a long history, spanning five thousand years and all directions, east, south, west, north, and center. Having been passed down for thousands of years, it has long formed a set of standards belonging to us Chinese ourselves, our own unique philosophical view and worldview, emphasizing the harmonious unity of humanity and nature, the harmonious unity of part and whole, and the natural way of balancing yin and yang. The aesthetics of the Chinese nation have never been isolated. For painting and calligraphy, for Chinese orchids, for traditional architecture, and for every aspect of our traditional culture, harmony, unity, and balance are emphasized. The aesthetic appreciation of Huilan orchids can fully be combined with the constituent elements of traditional Chinese calligraphy, painting, music, and even medicine and architecture.

For those who love orchids, one orchid is one world; one Huilan is one universe.When we immerse ourselves deeply, you possess everything.