There are many loveable flowers of grasses and trees both upon the water and on the land. In the Jin Dynasty, Tao Yuanming loved only the chrysanthemum.
From Li Tang Dynasty on, people of the world loved the peony very much. I especially love the lotus which grows out of the dirty mud but yet is clean, cleansed by the pure waters but not seductive; its center is void, the stem is straight; and has no creeping vines and branches; its fragrance is milder in the distance, its stem is erect, slim and clean; it is to be enjoyed from a distance but not too intimately. I say the chrysanthemum is like a recluse; while the peony is like a person of high position and wealth; whereas the lotus is like a gentleman. Alas! The love of chrysanthemum is seldom heard except for Tao Yuanming; where are the people who, like me, love the lotus? as for those who love peony, of course there are many!
联系客服
