五月石榴花和六月荷花May’s Pomegranate and June’s Lotus

趙夢蝶

導(dǎo)語

Introduction

花，是大自然美的象征。繽紛的世界、美好的生活，都離不開花的陪伴。一年十二月，月月伴花香。每一種花的特性、氣質(zhì)都是獨一無二的。

Flowers embody the beauty of Mother Nature.Their existence is essential to the colorfulness of theworld and the joy in life. As the year unfolds， eachof the twelve months is graced with the fragrance ofdifferent flowers. Every flower， with its distinct featuresand personality， is unique.

俗話說：“ 花木管時令，鳥鳴報農(nóng)時。”古人把時令和花聯(lián)系在一起，依照中國農(nóng)歷，每個月份都被冠以一個花名。這些花成為月令花神，我們也因此有了屬于自己的守護(hù)神。你的花神是誰呢？

As the saying goes： “Whilst flowers and treesmark the change of seasons， birds songs signal thetimes of farming.” Ancient people tended to linkseasons to specific flowers. According to the Chineselunar calendar， each month was named after a flower，which was then worshipped as the guardian deity forthat month. Thanks to this tradition， we are blessedwith our own guardian deities. What do you knowabout your flower deity？

五月花神——石榴花

Mays Flower Deity — The Pomegranate Flower

石榴又名“安石榴”，相傳是西漢時期張騫出使西域時帶回中原的。每年農(nóng)歷五月，正是石榴花盛開的時節(jié)，故有“榴月”之名。石榴便成了五月花神。新夏來臨，石榴樹上就會開滿紅艷艷的石榴花，在濃郁的綠葉之中燃起一片火紅，好不熱鬧！

The pomegranate， a l soknown as “punica granatum，”was reportedly brought back tothe Central Plains by Zhang Qianduring the Western Han Dynasty.The month of May， according tothe lunar calendar， is the bloomingseason of the pomegranate flower.Hence it is called “PomegranateMonth，” and the pomegranateis crowned as the deity of May.With the arrival of early summer，pomegranate trees bloom withbright red flowers amidst lushleaves， creating a vibrant scene.

石榴花的花語是“ 成熟的美麗”。唐代時，女子熱衷穿紅色長裙，因其色澤赤紅似石榴色，文人將其命名為“石榴裙”。至今，人們還打趣說男子“拜倒在石榴裙下”，形容被女子的美麗征服。

The pomegranate flowersymbol i z e s “the b eauty ofmaturity.” In the Tang Dynasty，women were mostly fond ofwearing red dresses， which werecalled “pomegranate skirts” dueto their color resembling that of apomegranate. Even today， theresa saying about gentlemen being“captivated by the pomegranates k i r t ，” d e s c r i b i n g t h e i renchantment with a ladys beauty.

此外，石榴的果實籽粒豐滿，故在中國文化中， 石榴被賦予了“多子多孫、人丁興旺”的美好寓意，有“榴開百子”之說。

Besides， the fruit of thepomegranate is full of seeds. InChinese culture， therefore， it isendowed with the auspiciousme a n i n g o f “ f l o u r i s h i n goffspring” — hence the saying“a pomegranate gives birth to ahundred offspring.”

正因其獨特的形態(tài)和吉祥的寓意，石榴花在中國藝術(shù)中有著豐富的表現(xiàn)。唐代文學(xué)家韓愈用“五月榴花照眼明”來形容石榴花紅艷可愛。

Because of its unique formand auspicious meanings， thepomegranate flower has richexpressions in Chinese art. HanYu， a litterateur in the TangDynasty， described its red colorand brightness with the words“Dazzling to the eyes are theblooming pomegranate flowers inMay.”

石榴與石榴花頗受文人雅士喜愛，其形象經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在中國傳統(tǒng)文化的各種藝術(shù)作品中，如繪畫、陶瓷及其他工藝制品。清代張莘的“梔子榴花軸”中，梔子、榴花齊放，梔子白如雪，榴花紅似火，對比鮮明，炎炎夏日中觀賞此畫，令人心曠神怡，暑意全無。

Deeply appreciated by literatiand gentries of refined tastes，the pomegranate and its flowers?frequently appear in traditionalChinese cultural artworks， suchas paintings， ceramics， and othercraf t s . In The Gardenia andPomegranate Flower Scroll by theQing Dynasty artist Zhang Shen，gardenias and pomegranate flowersbloom together， their white and redcolors providing a stark contrastand offering viewers a refreshingsight in the scorching summer.

這幅《石榴》是書畫大師吳昌碩82歲時所作，其花卉大寫意，非常善于捕捉石榴的外形特點，線條簡潔流暢，顏色運用鮮明，使石榴果實生動、有力量感。通過石榴的形象，吳昌碩表達(dá)了對家庭幸福和社會和諧的向往。

This piece of Pomegranate painted by WuChangshuo at the age of eighty-two showcases themasters expertise in capturing the essence of thepomegranates appearance with simple， flowinglines and vibrant colors， bringing the pomegranatefruit to life. Through the vivid representation of thepomegranate， the artist expresses an utmost longing forfamily happiness and social harmony.

清代瓷器上匠人常用石榴圖形制作青花瓷盤、茶具等，如清代景德鎮(zhèn)窯青花纏枝石榴紋盤，內(nèi)底繪有青花貫套石榴紋；還有根據(jù)石榴造型燒制的陶瓷器皿——石榴尊（始見于明朝宣德年間，清雍正時期開始仿燒，成為清代官窯的經(jīng)典器型），如清代祭紅釉“瓷石榴尊”，釉層肥厚，紅釉如初凝牛血。

In the Qing Dynasty， craftsmen frequently adopted thepomegranate pattern in creating blue-and-white porcelaindishes， tea sets， and other items， such as the Blue-and-WhitePorcelain Plate with Twining Branches and Pomegranate Pattern（made in Jingdezhen Kiln）， which featured a pomegranatepattern inside; and the pomegranate-shaped ceramic vessels，known as Pomegranate Vases （originating during the XuandePeriod of the Ming Dynasty; later imitated during the QingDynasty and recognized as a classic model of official kilns）.One typical example is the Qing Dynastys sacrificial red glazedPorcelain Pomegranate-Shaped Vase. The vase has thick-glazedlayers， and its color resembles recently congealed ox blood.

此外，女子喜歡頭插以石榴花為造型的簪花首飾，寓意生活幸福如意。這枚明代榴樹形金發(fā)簪，簪首以金累絲制成石榴樹一株，有喜鵲嬉戲其間，石榴上鑲嵌各色寶石，喜慶吉祥。金簪插入發(fā)際，行走時搖曳生姿、枝顫鵲舞，煞是引人注目。

Additionally， women at that time were fond of wearing hairpins shaped likepomegranate flowers， symbolizing a happy and wishful life. This pomegranate treeshapedgold hairpin from the Ming Dynasty is exquisitely crafted with gold filigreeforming a pomegranate tree and has frolicking magpies in between its branches.The pomegranate itself is inlaid with varicolored gemstones， signifying a sense of joyand auspiciousness. The gold hairpin， when worn at the hairline and swaying as onewalks， is extremely appealing with its trembling branches and dancing magpies.

六月花神——荷花

Junes Flower Deity — The Lotus

荷花，也稱“蓮花”。“六月荷花二十四”，舊俗里將這一天定為荷花的生日，荷花便是六月花神。關(guān)于荷花有許多美麗的傳說，其中最令人神往的莫過于西施采蓮。李白在《子夜吳歌》之《夏歌》中寫道：“鏡湖三百里，菡萏發(fā)荷花。五月西施采，人看隘若耶?！?/p>

The lotus， also known as the lotus flower， celebratesits birthday on the 24th of June according to old customs，hence worshipped as the deity of June. Many beautifullegends have been passed down about the lotus， the mostenchanting of which is perhaps the story of “Lady ShihTzu Gathering Lotuses.” As Li Bai wrote in “Ballads ofFour Seasons： Summer”： “The Mirror Lake extends forhundreds of miles; in full blossoms are the lotus flowers.Whilst Lady Shih Tzu was collecting them in May;admiring watchers overwhelmed the bank of RuoyeStream.”

荷花，中國古典文化中極具代表性的花卉之一，其花語是“堅貞、高潔”。荷花被譽(yù)為“花中君子”，古代文人多詠荷、畫荷，以荷花自喻。其中，周敦頤（北宋理學(xué)家）的《愛蓮說》最為人熟知，“予獨愛蓮之出淤泥而不染”，他用荷花的端莊雅麗、玉潔冰清比喻潔身自好的人格。

The lotus stands for “purity and nobility” and is oneof the most representative flowers in classical Chineseculture. Revered as “the noble among flowers，” ancient?scholars often extolled and painted lotuses as areference to their moral icon. Among these， ZhouDunyi （a Neo-Confucianist of the Northern SongDynasty） is most well-known for his “Ode to the Lotus”：“I love the lotus because it grows in mud yet is nevercontaminated.” By illustrating its dignified beauty andunstained purity， Zhou presented the lotus flower as ametaphor for pure， uncompromised integrity.

荷花在中國花鳥畫中也占據(jù)很高的比例。清代畫家包棟的《兒童采蓮圖》描繪了在蓮花盛開的夏日里，天真活潑的兒童撐一條小船去池中采摘白蓮花玩耍的場景，風(fēng)吹柳葉，搖櫓破水，兒童嬉戲，清音悅耳。畫中繪有三子采蓮， 畫面天真童趣，而童子抱蓮花也寓意“連生貴子”。

In Chinese flower and bird paintings， the lotusalso occupies a significant place. The Qing Dynastypainter Bao Dongs Children Picking Lotuses depictsa scene where lively and innocent children paddlea small boat in a pond to pick white lotus flowersduring a summer day when the lotuses are in fullbloom. The wind blows through the willow leaves，the oars break the water， and the children playjoyfully， bursting out clear and pleasant laughter. Thepainting of three children collecting lotuses capturesa moment of playful innocence， with the motif ofchildren holding lotuses symbolizing “giving birth tochildren continuously.”

清代畫家余集的《一路青蓮圖》繪白鷺青蓮，借其諧音，寓意“一路清廉”，形容為官清正、一塵不染、廉潔公正。

The Qing Dynasty artist Yu Jis A Path ofGreen Lotuses shows egrets among green lotuses.The homophony of this title means “a path ofintegrity，” which delivers high praises for anofficials integrity， purity， and justice.

在當(dāng)代也有許多藝術(shù)家、書畫家鐘愛繪荷。久居杭州西子湖畔的國家一級美術(shù)師顧宏教授對荷花亦是特別鐘情，他筆下的荷花很具個性，充滿禪意，似有佛光普照，總給人以美的聯(lián)想。他曾組織《中國當(dāng)代荷花國畫名家邀請展》等全國性乃至國際性的高品位大型文化藝術(shù)盛會，邀請眾多著名畫家齊聚西子湖邊一起畫荷頌荷，共同探討荷花的文化內(nèi)涵，與大眾共鳴對荷花的喜愛。

Many contemporary artists and calligraphers also have a specialaffection for painting lotuses. Professor Gu Hong， a national first-classartist who has long resided by the West Lake in Hangzhou， is particularlyfond of lotuses. The lotuses under his brush are filled with distinctpersonalities and Zen ideas， seemingly bathing in Buddhas light andalways evoking beautiful associations. He has organized high-calibrearts and cultural events on national and international scales， such as the“Chinese National Painting Masters of Lotus Exhibition.” Many famouspainters have been invited to the West Lake to paint and praise the lotustogether， exploring its cultural connotations and conversing with thepublic about their shared love for the lotus.

蓮花與佛教關(guān)系密切，寓意清凈的功德與智慧，是生命與光明的象征。隨著佛教傳入中國，佛門圣花蓮花被雕刻、裝飾于各種器物之上。其中“北宋婺州窯青瓷尊式爐”具有一定的代表性，該器物的上腹畫細(xì)線卷云紋和鸚鵡紋，下腹細(xì)刻成一朵盛開的蓮花?！吧彴昙y缽”是宋代龍泉窯最有代表性的產(chǎn)品之一。宋元時期的“龍泉窯青瓷蓮瓣紋缽”，平底微向內(nèi)凹，外壁刻有重瓣立體的仰蓮紋，表面施粉青色厚釉，柔和淡雅，猶如美玉雕琢而成；造型規(guī)整，簡潔優(yōu)雅，為宋人的文房用具。

Closely related to Buddhism， the lotus flower is a symbolof pure merit and wisdom and represents both life and light.With the introduction of Buddhism into China， the lotus —the sacred flower of Buddhism — was carved and decoratedon various objects. Celadon Incense Burner in the Shape of Zun（from the Wuzhou Kiln during the Northern Song Dynasty）is quite representative， with cloud patterns and parrot patternson its upper part and a carved blooming lotus on its lower part.Lotus Petal-Patterned Bowl was one of the most representativeproducts of the Longquan Kiln during the Song-Yuan period.Celadon Lotus Petal-Patterned Bowl of the Longquan Kiln isknown to possess a flat bottom with a slightly inward concave —double-layered， three-dimensional lotus petal carved onthe outer wall and the whole surface covered by the thickpowderedblue celadon glaze. The bowl looks tender andquietly elegant as if it was carved out of a piece of jade; it hasa regular， simple and graceful shape， serving as some scholarsstationery at that time.

荷花亦作為裝飾進(jìn)入我們的日常生活。如今流行的漢服常用荷花元素，或是以刺繡，或是以印花，出現(xiàn)在荷包香袋、絲巾披肩以及穿著的衣裳、鞋子等上；文房雅玩、家具陳設(shè)、茶酒香具均可見荷花的身影；建筑、雕塑、銅鏡、石刻等工藝形式中也常見荷花裝飾。同時，荷花因其清秀卓越的風(fēng)姿運用于城市的園林景觀，如杭州西湖十景之一的“曲院風(fēng)荷”等。

The lotus enters our daily lives as decoration as well. Han Chinese Clothing， whichregains its popularity today， often features lotus elements. Either embroidered or printed，the images of lotuses appear on sachets， scarves， clothing， shoes， and so on. Beyond seenin scholarly playthings， furniture， tea and wine accessories， lotus decorations are alsocommon in architecture， sculptures， bronze mirrors， and stone carvings. Moreover， withits delicate and outstanding style， the image of the lotus is applicable for building gardenlandscapes in urban spaces， such as “Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard，” one ofthe “Ten Scenic Spots” of the West Lake.