Hello Japan! Orchid Symbolism

Hanakotoba is the language of flowers: emotions or messages are communicated through the symbolism of flowers. Since it turned summer on June 21st, I figured I’d tell you about the meaning of orchids.

As a mah jongg-player I thought it was THE flower of the season, orchid being the Summer Guardian Stone. But having looked into Japanese flower symbolism, I seem to be wrong! Yeah well, mah jongg is originally Chinese, so.. :) Never mind. As the game is being played in Japan as well, this post is still relevant as my submission for June’s Hello Japan! mini challenge about Flowers & Japanese Gardens. ;)

Starting of with a haiku by Yosa Buson (1716 ~ 1783), translated by R.H. Blythe.

An evening orchid, Hidden in its scent, The flower’s whiteness		yoru no ran ka ni kakurete ya hana shiroshi

The orchid represents refinement. It is no common plant and it’s pleasures are reserved for the privileged few, so it is also a symbol of the rare and precious. The essence of refinement is an continual process of improvement until absolute perfection is reached.

In the art of fortune telling with mah jongg cards or stones, the Orchid Guardian protects young girls. If it appears in response to a question about a daughter or a younger female relative, it serves to allay any anxieties regarding their welfare.

I have a white orchid at home. It was a birthday gift from my aunt several years ago. White seems appropriate for a flower like this, since it indicates purity and cleanliness in traditional Japanese society, and is seen as a blessed colour because of its sacred nature: it’s the colour of the gods and therefore free of all ‘contamination’. But what is maybe best — if you’re into Zodiac signs that is (which I’m really not) — the white orchid belongs to my sign of Pisces.

I’ll leave you with the Japanese version of a beautiful song about flowers by Einstürtzende Neubauten: Blume, sung by Etsuko Sakamaki-Haas. I invite you to listen to the English translation afterwards.

Hello Japan! is a monthly mini-challenge focusing on Japanese literature and culture. Each month there is a new task which relates to some aspect of life in Japan. June’s mission is ‘Flowers and Japanese Gardens’.

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Een mooi gevulde tas (week 42)

• Spitskool
• Andijvie
• Tomaten (uit Schalkwijk)
• Bospeen
• Rode bataviasla
• Koriander

Perfect, want a.s. zaterdag komt er bezoek mahjong spelen en het menu ligt al klaar: wortel-gembersoep (met koriander), kooltaart en herfstsalade. Tjee, dat doet me eraan denken dat ik vast azukibonen in de week moet gaan zetten… Want ik ga voor die dag een spannend experiment aan: groene-theemuffins met rodebonenpuree die helemaal ‘from scratch’ worden gemaakt! Te beginnen met tsubushi-an (grove rode bonenpasta).

[fluister] Ik zal maar bekennen dat ik voor de zekerheid ook een blik heb ingeslagen ;)

ETA @#^!$%$# Waarom kan ik nu dat succesrecept voor kooltaart nergens meer vinden??? :(

Mahjong date leftovers (bento #30)

Bento #30 came to work on Monday October 29th and was filled with leftovers from Sunday’s mahjong date (which I won btw :)

On the left: veggies (cauliflower florets, radishes and carrots), fresh basil leafs, laughing cow cheese wedge and hiding underneath is a container with homemade salsa picante.

Right tier: plain nacho crumbs, little plum tomatoes, mixed nuts and edamame.

On the side some pear and kiwi sprinkled with lemon.

It was very yummy ;) A pity that the weather was grey because now my picture turned out kind of bleak as well :(

Also posted in the LiveJournal Bentolunch community for details. Alongside several Halloween bento’s because of the date… That’s not a really big festivity in Holland though.