Trees in Chinese mythology and culture tend to range from more-or-less mythological such as the

Fusang Fusang () refers to various entities, most frequently a mythical tree or location east of China, described in ancient Chinese literature. In the ''Classic of Mountains and Seas'' and several contemporary texts, the term refers to a mythological ...

tree and the

Peaches of Immortality In Chinese mythology, Peaches of Immortality ( or ) are consumed by the immortals due to their mystic virtue of conferring longevity on all who eat them. Peaches symbolizing immortality (or the wish for a long and healthy life) are a common symbo ...

cultivated by

Xi Wangmu The Queen Mother of the West, known by various local names, is a mother goddess in Chinese religion and mythology, also worshipped in neighbouring Asian countries, and attested from ancient times. From her name alone some of her most importan ...

to mythological attributions to such well-known trees, such as the pine, the cypress, the plum and other types of prunus, the

jujube Jujube (), sometimes jujuba, known by the scientific name ''Ziziphus jujuba'' and also called red date, Chinese date, and Chinese jujube, is a species in the genus ''Ziziphus'' in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. Description It is a smal ...

, the cassia, and certain as yet unidentified trees. Mythological ideas about trees also extends to various types of fungi which lived or were thought to live underneath certain of these trees, collecting their mysterious essences.

Pine, cypress, and fir

The pine, cypress, and fir are linked by being similar evergreens. Old pine trees are much admired and venerated. Some examples of Chinese cultural symbology can be found in the poetry of

Six Dynasties Six Dynasties (; 220–589 or 222–589) is a collective term for six Han-ruled Chinese dynasties that existed from the early 3rd century AD to the late 6th century AD. The Six Dynasties period overlapped with the era of the Sixteen Kingdoms, ...

poet

Tao Yuanming Tao Yuanming (; 365–427), also known as Tao Qian (; also T'ao Ch'ien in Wade-Giles), was a Chinese poet and politician who was one of the best-known poets during the Six Dynasties, Six Dynasties period. He was born during the Eastern Jin dyn ...

(365?–427). According to

Yeh Chia-ying Florence Chia-ying Yeh (born July 1924), also known as Ye Jiaying (), Jialing (), and by her married name Chia-ying Yeh Chao, is a Chinese-born Canadian poet and sinologist. She was a scholar of classical Chinese poetry. She taught for twenty y ...

, one of Tao's most frequently used metaphors is that of the pine tree: symbol of ability to withstand the adversity of cold winds, to withstand the adversity of frosts, nevertheless retaining its own essential character: a situation which can be compared with that of certain persons of metaphorically similar character.

Peach, pear, and plum

The peach, pear, and plum are linked by being in the genus ''Prunus''. All three are important in Chinese symbolism.

Fusang

The Fusang tree appears as a more mythological tree, although sometimes claimed to be just like some kind of

mulberry ''Morus'', a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consists of diverse species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 identif ...

Three Friends in Winter

The 'three friends in winter' is a motif frequently seen in Chinese art. The motif consists of pines, bamboos, and plum trees or else plum trees and a stone. The symbolism is that of longevity, constancy, and flowering during winter, before it is yet spring. In Chinese cultural symbology, this motif is considered suitable to send to those who are poor or lonely. The three friends of winter motif is known as early as the Song dynasty work the ''Jishanji'' (霽山集), or, in English, the "Clear Mountain Collection" by

Lin Jingxi Lin or LIN may refer to: People *Lin (surname) (normally ), a Chinese surname *Lin (surname) (normally 蔺), a Chinese surname * Lin (''The King of Fighters''), Chinese assassin character *Lin Chow Bang, character in Fat Pizza Places *Lin, Iran, ...

(林景熙), who lived 1242–1310.http://www.npm.gov.tw/exh91/3friends/english/infor.htm
/ref>

Glossary

Chinese terms related to trees in Chinese mythology and cultural symbology: *Cypress: () *Fusang: () *Peach: () *Pine (sometimes also used for similar evergreen conifers, such as fir): () *Plum: () or () *Three Friends in Winter: () or just ()

Gallery

File:Shanghai Museum 2006 17-60.jpg, Porcelain bowl: the peaches symbolize longevity and health, the bats add the idea of good luck and happiness. File:XiWangMu-Dresden.JPG, Xi Wangmu on a Qing dynasty porcelain plate, beneath a flowering ''prunus'' tree

Notes

References

* * {{Chinese mythology Chinese culture Trees in mythology