"" speaks of the gentlemanly character of the orchid
"" is a phrase of praise in traditional Chinese orchid culture, meaning roughly that the orchid's character is so noble and pure that it is worthy of being a model for how people should conduct themselves and go about their affairs. Here "" carries the ancient Chinese sense of presiding over or occupying a position, while "" means model or exemplar, so the whole phrase is close in meaning to today's common saying "" (a model for others). The ancients likened the orchid to a gentleman, believing that it does not withhold its fragrance just because no one appreciates it, nor does it hold back its scent just because it grows in a secluded valley; this very quality is an example for how a person should live.
The tradition of using the orchid as a metaphor for virtue is long-standing. It is said that when Confucius traveled through the various states, he called the orchid "the king's fragrance," and he also left the lament that "the iris and orchid grow in the deep forest, yet do not cease to be fragrant because no one is there." After this, literati through the ages mostly regarded growing and admiring orchids as a discipline of self-cultivation. In poetry, painting, bonsai and study furnishings, the orchid is often listed alongside bamboo, chrysanthemum and plum blossom, used to express the pursuit of integrity, self-restraint and refusing to follow vulgar trends.
This way of thinking has also permeated the habits of appreciating orchids. Pure-hearted orchids have clear, unblemished flower colors, often extended to mean a heart that remains unchanged; formally correct flowers such as plum-petal and lotus-petal types are dignified and steady, regarded as symbols of the beauty of moderation and harmony. Orchid growers often say that in appreciating an orchid one first appreciates its character, and what they emphasize is precisely discerning the measure of a person's conduct from the posture of a single plant; sayings like "three years of skill in watering" are, in the end, also about patience and self-cultivation.
For today's orchid growers, "" is more like a reminder: growing orchids is not only about properly preparing the potting medium and watering correctly, but even more about using the orchid to cultivate one's nature. A pot of pure orchids placed on a desk, quietly accompanying you through the blooming seasons, will over time make a person's temperament slower and steadier. This is also an important reason why the orchid is still regarded today as a thing of nobility and integrity, often given to honor teachers and elders.
