Page 82 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

The use of a lotus flower (lianhua 蓮花) is customarily associated with the summer

season, because that is the period in which it blooms. The flower holds a multitude of

meanings, with the most prevalent being its association with Buddhism. The lotus itself

grows directly from mud, but as it rises out of the murky water it blooms a pristine white

or pink color. The unique way in which the flower grows is thought to correspond with

the ideals of Buddhism and the ability everyone has to achieve spiritual enlightenment.

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The actual terms for lotus, lian and he, are multifaceted. They can mean love or

harmony and, when analyzed together, can communicate the idea of continued harmony.

The summer design reinforces the idea of Cixi’s continued reign as the head of China and

conveys the sentiment of a prosperous outcome to her rule.

The autumn motif returns to a turquoise background. The imagery representing

the season is a white chrysanthemum accompanied by several leaves. Additional

hibiscus flowers are visible throughout the autumnal design (Figure 18). This

combination of flowers symbolizes the autumn, because these types of flowers all

typically bloom in that season. Known as juhua 菊花, the chrysanthemum term is close

to jiu 九, which means “nine.” The number nine is thought to represent a long time,

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transforming the word into a wish for a long life. Since the chrysanthemum blooms in
the autumn while many other flowers are fading, the bloom earned recognition for being

a flower that could flourish under adverse conditions. This notion is parallel to the idea

of maintaining strong character. With respect to the hibiscus, symbolism is once again

used to emphasize attributes that Cixi must have desired. The term for the flower, fu

82 Ströber, Symbols on Chinese Porcelain: 10,000 Times Happiness, 116.
83 Ströber, Symbols on Chinese Porcelain: 10,000 Times Happiness, 124.

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