Plant Symbolism Culture

Symbolism is a manner of cognition with metaphor as a common means, which is widely used in plants culture. Symbolism of plants evolves around the growth features, shapes or application of certain plants. Such type of a symbolism are abided and respected in religious and folk rituals, literature works,as well as gardening or landscaping. Symbolism in literature evokes much artistic effects and hence is inherited. With a number of240type of plants in the novel, Hongloumeng or Dream in the Red Mansions by Cao Xueqin and Gao E in the early Qing dynasty abounds in plant symbolism. It is safe to conclude that the novel’s success is partly due to the plant symbolism. Those symbolisms are far from randomly coined, but carefully selected and adeptly intertwined. In some cases a plant is used to symbolize more than one person, in other cases more plants symbolize different aspects of one’s personality. Plant symbolisms are in some cased used to stand person’s social status, or to predict the ending of the family. With this plants and symbolism, the novel depicts a authentic environment for the story. The plant symbolisms used in the novel are mostly in agreement with China’s cultural tradition, and are part of its culture, from which readers can have a broad view of China’s folklore, belief, literature and gardening tradition. Knowledge in plants symbolism finds its way into many aspects in its practical applications. It not only safeguards plant protection, but also constructs an elite environment. Such knowledge in other cultures improves inter-cultural communication in the same manner.