Why is the red spider lily called the death flower? Blooming in the underworld is purely legend

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

The red spider lily, a very famous plant, often appears in novels. The red one is named Manjusaka and blooms in hell, while the white one is named Mandarava and blooms in heaven. In folk tradition, the red spider lily is also called the death flower and is said to live in the underworld, but does the red spider lily really bloom in the underworld? Besides that

1. Why is the red spider lily called the death flower

The red spider lily mainly comes in three colors: red, white and yellow, among which the red one is the most famous. It is also called Manjusaka and is commonly known as the death flower. But as we know, although the red spider lily is very brightly colored, it does not harm people, so why is it called the death flower? There are several explanations for this:

1. The red spider lily blooms on the days for visiting graves

In Japan, the three days around the autumn equinox are called Autumn Higan, and the three days around the spring equinox are called Spring Higan; both are days for visiting graves. Coincidentally, the red spider lily blooms exactly during Autumn Higan, very punctually, so it is called Higan flower. And because the mood of people visiting graves is low, and the red spider lily blooms gorgeously and coldly, it gained the title of death flower.

When does the red spider lily bloom, July-September

It is understood that the red spider lily usually blooms from July to September, with July as the peak blooming period, which happens to be the autumn equinox period in Japan, very punctually. However, the bulbs of the red spider lily generally take 2 to 3 years to bloom, so in order to make it bloom earlier, you can create a good environment for it, such as not too strong light, acidic sandy soil that is breathable and permeable, and so on.

2. The red spider lily is poisonous

In the previous article, we already introduced that the red spider lily is poisonous and can cause vomiting and numbness. Because of this, Japanese farmers planted it along the edges of farmland to prevent animals such as mice from damaging crops. And for the safety of children, the red spider lily is also often planted around cemeteries, so it is also called the death flower.

2. Does the red spider lily really bloom in the underworld? Legend

As a flower that can be grown indoors in daily life, the red spider lily is not uncommon, so does the red spider lily really bloom in the underworld? The answer is obviously no; this is just a legendary story. According to legend, the red spider lily blooms by the Sanzu River in the underworld, with flowers as brilliantly red as blood, covering the road to hell, and it has flowers but no leaves, making it the only flower of the underworld. Its fragrance is said to have magic power that can awaken the memories of the dead from before they died.

Does the red spider lily really bloom in the underworld? In legend, yes. It is said that on the roads of the underworld, large patches of red spider lilies bloom, and from a distance they look like a carpet spread from blood, and because they are so red they seem like fire, they are also described as the road of fire. In many modern novels, the red spider lily often appears on the road to the Yellow Springs, and over time people came to think it really is a flower blooming in the underworld. But everyone should remember that this is only legend.

3. The legend of the red spider lily

In folk tradition, there are many legends about the red spider lily, and the most widely spread one is that it blooms in the underworld. It is said that when a soul crosses the River of Forgetfulness, it forgets all its past life, and everything that once was remains on the other shore; the departed are guided by the red spider lily toward the prison of the underworld. When the red spider lily blooms, no leaves can be seen, and when there are leaves, no flowers can be seen; flower and leaf never meet, and are forever mismatched in life after life. Hence the saying, "The red spider lily blooms on the other shore; only flowers are seen, no leaves."

In spring it is a bulb, in summer it grows leaves, in autumn it stands up and blooms, and in winter the leaves slowly recede again. When the flower blooms, no leaves can be seen, and when there are leaves, no flowers can be seen; flower and leaf never meet, and are forever mismatched in life after life. Mutual longing and mutual pity are forever lost to each other. In such a cycle, flower and leaf never meet, and it also carries the meaning of a tragic love that can never reunite. So later generations have a poem: "The red spider lily blooms and blooms on the other shore; before the Naihe Bridge, what can be done?"

It is precisely these legends about the red spider lily that make the flower language of this beautiful flower seem inauspicious. But in today's advanced scientific age, this is nothing; if you like it, you can grow the red spider lily at home. As for how to grow the red spider lily, it was introduced earlier, so I will not say more here. The above is all the content about the red spider lily being called the death flower and whether the red spider lily really blooms in the underworld. What do you think after reading it?

Why is the red spider lily called the death flower? Does the red spider lily really bloom in the underworld? (Related to its blooming time)

Speaking of the red spider lily, many people have probably heard of this flower in books or legends. It is a very mysterious and sadly beautiful flower, and the red spider lily is also called the death flower. Many people are probably still very interested in why the red spider lily is called the death flower! Let the editor of Huayu Web answer for you why the red spider lily is called the death flower and whether the red spider lily really blooms in the underworld.

Reasons why the red spider lily is called the death flower

Actually, the red spider lily is also a very beautiful flower. This flower may appear less often in the north, but it is very common at West Lake in Hangzhou. It is the "red spider lily" that often appears in literary works. The flower language of the red spider lily is heartlessness and ruthlessness, and it is also called the death flower by people, so many people are very afraid of it. So, why exactly is the red spider lily called the death flower?

Actually, there are three reasons. The first is because of its legend. Legend says the red spider lily is a flower that voluntarily threw itself into hell, was sent back by all the demons, but still lingered on the road to the Yellow Springs. The demons could not bear it, so they agreed to let it bloom on this road, giving guidance and comfort to the souls leaving the human world. It is this legend that gave the red spider lily the name death flower.

Actually, another reason that best fits the range accepted by everyone is that the blooming period of the red spider lily is 3 days after the autumn equinox, which is a day for visiting graves. Because the red spider lily itself grows in large quantities in the wild, when people saw large numbers of red spider lilies blooming on the way to visit graves, they thought they were flowers on the road to the Yellow Springs. In fact, the red spider lily is just blooming normally; it is only too gorgeous and easily noticed, otherwise would all the flowers that bloom on that day also become inauspicious flowers? People like to express feelings through objects, so they call it the death flower.

The third reason why the red spider lily is called the death flower is related to Buddhism. The red spider lily also often appears in paintings depicting Buddhism. In Buddhist scriptures it says: the red spider lily blooms on the other shore; only flowers are seen, no leaves. When the red spider lily blooms, no leaves can be seen, and when there are leaves, no flowers can be seen; flower and leaf never meet, and are forever mismatched in life after life. Hence the saying, "The red spider lily blooms on the other shore; only flowers are seen, no leaves." Moreover, Manjusaka often blooms near cemeteries, and its color is bright red like blood, so this flower carries an inauspicious color of death and separation, is more often used in funerals, and is also called the death flower.

After reading the editor's introduction, everyone should understand the reasons why the red spider lily is called the death flower. Next, let us continue to learn whether the red spider lily really blooms in the underworld.

The red spider lily does not bloom in the underworld

In the answer above to why the red spider lily is called the death flower, the editor already introduced that the red spider lily blooms in the wild, and only because its blooming time happens to be the days for visiting graves is it also called the death flower. So, does the red spider lily really bloom in the underworld?

In many legends, the red spider lily is a flower that blooms in the underworld. But there is a saying, "The red spider lily blooms and blooms on the other shore." The other shore here is the shore of life, and legend says this flower is a guiding flower that can awaken the memories of the dead from before they died. Its flowers are as brilliantly red as blood, and it has flowers but no leaves, making it the only flower of the underworld. In legends, it is generally believed that the red spider lily is a guiding flower growing by the Sanzu River.

But in fact, the red spider lily does not bloom in the underworld. Friends in the north may have fewer chances to see the red spider lily, but in the south, the red spider lily is still a relatively common flower. This is because the red spider lily blooms at the spring equinox and autumn equinox. The three days around the spring equinox are called Spring Higan, and the three days around the autumn equinox are called Autumn Higan. These are exactly the days for visiting graves, and the red spider lily blooms during Autumn Higan, very punctually, so it is called Higan flower. The legend that the red spider lily blooms in the underworld still cannot be believed.

For more knowledge about the red spider lily, you can continue to learn:

The flower language and legends of the red spider lily, blooming in the underworld symbolizes death / different colors have different flower languages

The red spider lily, also called the death flower, is poisonous and is a brightly colored flower. Because the red spider lily is very special, for countless years it has carried people's emotions, but the flower language it was born with is not beautiful; instead, it symbolizes death. It is understood that the red spider lily has three colors, different colors have different flower languages, and grown in different countries, the flower language of the red spider lily is also different. Here, let the editor take you to learn about it.

1. Pictures of red spider lily flower languages in different countries

Different countries have very different cultures, and this is also reflected in flower languages. The legends of the red spider lily mainly come from China, Japan and Korea, and the contents are basically the same, but the flower languages of the red spider lily born in the three countries are different, as follows:

Chinese red spider lily flower language: graceful and pure, the tenderness of a demon

In China, the red spider lily has an auspicious meaning. Its flower language in China is graceful and pure, representing beauty and charm, and it also has the meaning of the tenderness of a demon.

Korean red spider lily flower language: mutual longing

In Korea, the red spider lily represents longing. The red spider lily blooms on the other shore, so in Korea, the flower language of the red spider lily is mutual longing. It has meanings of separation, sadness, the beauty of death, and inauspiciousness.

Japanese red spider lily flower language: sorrowful memories

In Japan, the red spider lily implies separation and death, so in Japan, the flower language of the red spider lily is sorrowful memories.

2. Pictures of red spider lily flower languages in different colors

The red spider lily, a very famous plant, has three colors. The red one is named Manjusaka and blooms in hell, while the white one is named Mandarava and blooms in heaven. Different colors also have different red spider lily flower languages, as follows:

Red red spider lily flower language: endless love, an omen of death, the call of hell.

White red spider lily flower language: the flower language is endless longing, desperate love, a letter from heaven.

Yellow red spider lily flower language: nobility, power and endless strife.

3. The legendary story of the red spider lily

According to legend, the red spider lily bloomed in the heavenly court and was a divine flower, guarded by two flower spirits, Manju and Saka. For special reasons, heaven decreed that the two could never meet, but they knew of each other and admired each other. Finally one day, disregarding heaven's rule, they secretly met. In that meeting, they fell in love!

However, the ending was already destined. Because they violated the heavenly rules, the heavenly court sent down punishment and placed a most vicious curse on them both: since they insisted on meeting secretly in disregard of heavenly rules, they would be turned into the flower and leaf of the red spider lily. But this flower is very strange: when there is a flower, no leaf is seen; when a leaf grows, no flower is seen. Life after life, flower and leaf are forever mismatched, destined never to meet in this life.

The legendary story of the red spider lily seems to end here, but something interesting happened later. After countless reincarnations, one day the Buddha came here and saw the red spider lily. It was demon-red like fire and extraordinarily imposing. The Buddha came before it and looked carefully, and with just one look he saw the mystery within. The Buddha was neither sad nor angry. He suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed three times, reached out and pulled the flower up from the ground.

The Buddha held the flower in his hand and said with emotion: In your previous lives you longed for each other but could not meet; after countless reincarnations, you loved each other but could not stay together. All so-called partings and reunions are merely the arising and ceasing of karma. You carry the curse of the heavenly court, which makes your fate end yet not scatter, your karma cease yet not separate. I cannot untie this vicious spell for you, so I will take you to the other shore and let you bloom all over the fields there!

This is the legendary story of the red spider lily. Tragically beautiful, isn't it! It is precisely because of this that the flower language of the red spider lily has an inauspicious meaning. However, in China, the flower language of the red spider lily is quite good, which is why many people grow it. It is worth mentioning that when the red spider lily blooms, it is truly beautiful. If you are not superstitious about it, you can try growing it too!