A Detailed Explanation of the Flower Language and Legend of the Chinese Trumpet Creeper
The Chinese trumpet creeper (Campsis grandiflora) is one of the famous garden flowers, also known as wuzhualong, shangshulong, and tengluohua, among other names. It is a climbing vine in the genus Campsis of the family Bignoniaceae. Its flowers are funnel-shaped, in bright red or golden yellow, with vivid colors. When in bloom, the branch tips continue to spread and grow, and new shoots bloom in succession, so the flowering period is relatively long. Let's take a look below at the flower language and legend of the Chinese trumpet creeper!
The Flower Language of the Chinese Trumpet Creeper
The flower language of the Chinese trumpet creeper is “admiration, reputation”, symbolizing a mother's love. It is often placed together with holly and primrose to form a bouquet given to mothers, to express deep love for one's mother. In addition, the Chinese trumpet creeper is also one of the famous flowers of Lianyungang City. Nancheng Town, in the thousand-year-old ancient Fenghuang City, has long enjoyed the reputation of “Hometown of Chinese Trumpet Creeper”.
The Value of the Chinese Trumpet Creeper
1. Ornamental: The Chinese trumpet creeper is a vine that loves to climb, and is an excellent plant for greening courtyards. With thin bamboo supports it can be trained into various patterns, which is very practical and beautiful. It can also be shaped through pruning into hanging bonsai or used to decorate windowsills and drying platforms.
2. Medicinal: The Chinese trumpet creeper has the effects of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, cooling the blood and dispelling wind. It is used for amenorrhea, postpartum breast swelling, red wind-rash, skin itching, and acne.
The Legend of the Chinese Trumpet Creeper
According to legend, in a mountain village called Longdi in western Fujian, there lived a wealthy landlord surnamed Dong. He had a lovely and beautiful daughter named Lingxiao, who could compose poetry and paint. As Lingxiao gradually reached the age of marriage, she quietly fell in love with a tall, handsome, hardworking and kind long-term hired laborer named Liu Mingquan.
Lingxiao secretly sewed new clothes for Liu Mingquan, and often brought him tasty food. The two vowed to each other that they would be together in life and in death. The landlord and his wife were looking everywhere for a son-in-law, hoping Lingxiao would marry into a family of equal social standing. Eventually they learned of Lingxiao and Liu Mingquan's love affair. The landlord flew into a rage and ordered his servants to give Liu Mingquan a severe beating, then dumped him in the wilderness.
Liu Mingquan passed away late at night. The next day, the kind villagers buried him by the small river outside the village. A few days later, a large willow tree miraculously grew from Liu Mingquan's grave. It had lush branches and leaves, and its slender willow branches swayed in the wind, as if sobbing and telling of their sorrow.
Lingxiao, who had been locked up by landlord Dong for violating family rules, missed Liu Mingquan day and night, refused to eat or drink, and grew haggard. One day, Lingxiao learned from a maid that Liu Mingquan had already died. She rushed out of the house like a madwoman and threw herself in front of Liu Mingquan's grave. Miss Lingxiao bowed three times, then dashed her head against the willow tree and died. In an instant she turned into a woody vine, wrapping around the trunk and persistently climbing upward. It soon grew entwined with the willow tree, and the vine was covered with red flowers.
Later, people discovered that the flower Miss Lingxiao had turned into could promote blood circulation and resolve blood stasis, remove toxins and reduce swelling, and could treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and traumatic injuries. To commemorate Miss Lingxiao, people named this Chinese herbal medicine “Lingxiao flower”, and it has been used ever since.