Study On The Metaphor Of Flowers In Ancient Chinese Literature

Fan Ye,a historian of the southern Song Dynasty,wrote in his biography of Zhang Heng of the later Han Dynasty: “A hundred flowers contain the flowers.In ancient times,the flower is the Chinese word.In all biographies,the “ Hua ” is used.”Flowers are the general term for plants and flowers,the meaning of “flower”is a bit complicated,not only including some Chinese words,such as the flower,Ying,Hua and Rong and so on,but also Involving the concrete flower names,such as plum blossom,peach blossom,apricot flower and so on.Liu Shahe,a famous modern poet,points out that “ the figurative image is the image of events,feelings and reasons created by means of figures of speech.”in the twelve images,but he doesn’t think“the hands are like the tender buds”is a metaphor.As far as I am concerned,“the tender buds”are the soft and white shoots of thatch,meaning a girls’ hands are like the tender and white spear.“The hands are like the tender buds”is a metaphor.“The metaphor of flower”means the flowers are the noumenon and the vehicle and the characteristics of the flowers are figurative image and so on.At present,the study on metaphor of flower mainly bases on three aspects: the first is the comparative study of metaphor of flowers in China and abroad,the second is the study on flowers are like people,and the third is the analysis of flowers are like objects.Therefore,the previous studies on the metaphor flowers are especially incomplete and less systematic.It is still rare to make a systematic and holistic study of the figurative images of flowers in ancient Chinese literature from the literary level,it can not reflect the development and universal emotion of“flower”imagery in Chinese classical literature and show the important value.With the development of Chinese language and the deep charm of ancient literature,people are more fond of ancient works,so the description of flowers will be focused.Based on the images of flowers in the past dynasties and the representative works of poetry and prose,this thesis attempts to expand the scope of study from a single study of the images of flowers to the level of ancient literature more holistic,systematic and detailed study.I believe that my research will have a great impact on the creation of poetry,Chineseteaching,aesthetic awareness and composition of works and so on.In addition to the exordium and concluding remarks,this dissertation mainly includes six chapters:The first chapter mainly discusses the flowers are compared to the appearance.This chapter analyzes the noumenon,the vehicle and the similarities of the metaphor of the flowers from the both aspects:the flowers compare to the overall appearance and the flowers compare to the partial appearance.The ordinary and the special name of flowers can compare to the overall appearance.Flowers in general and flowers in particular can be compared to the overall appearance,The partial appearance of the metaphors of flowers includes the flowers are compared to the hair,the flowers are compared to the eyes,the flowers are compared to the teeth.The flowers are used to compare to the appearance,making the beautiful appearance more beautiful,the smile appearance more happily,the angry appearance more angry,the sad appearance more sad,the worry appearance more worried,the ugly appearance uglier,the beautiful appearance more beautiful.Deepen the expression effect.The second chapter mainly discusses the flowers are compared to the posture.This chapter mainly discusses flowers can be used to describe a girl’s standing posture,gait,soft posture and dance posture.No matter whether she has standing posture,gait,soft posture or dance posture,the beauty of girl’s posture is shown vividly.The third chapter mainly discusses the flowers are compared to the life stage.What I discussed in the first two chapters is the flowers are compared to the appearance and posture,both of them are entities,noumenon are visible and real.In this chapter,that the flowers are compared to the life stage is abstract.This chapter mainly discusses how the flowers compare to the representative life stages: the flowers compare to the baby and youth,the flowers compare to the old age and death.Using flowers as a metaphor for life stages can show the characteristics of each stage more vividly.The fourth chapter mainly discusses that the flowers are compared to the identity.This chapter is divided into the metaphor of women and other identities,flowers symbolize women,including the beauty,the fairy,the prostitute,the lover,the woman who misses her husband,the virgin,the wife,the nun,the maid,the concubine and thequeen.Flowers symbolize other identities,including the poor,young master,rich man,literati,bound person,Dharma,brother,child,parents,envoy and county magistrate.They are compared to flowers perfectly.The fifth chapter mainly analyse the flowers are compared to the the ability.The metaphor of the ability includes the flowers are compared to the capable people and the flowers are compared to the inability.This chapter mainly analyzes the flowers are compared to the ability.such as: brilliant,quick-witted,good at speech and create new styles.Comparing the papaya,“ no power ”,embroidered pillow to unable,false appearance and no real talent.To analyze its origin,the evolution and the development.The sixth chapter mainly discusses the flowers compare to the words and deeds and the morality.It is said that:“Time reveals the heart of a man.”It is the most difficult thing to discover the moral character of a person,it is hidden deeply,only the time can prove a person,so this chapter is at the end.This chapter mainly discusses he flowers compare to the moral character: amorous,flirtatious behavior,fickle heart,overbearing,cunning,lewd,elegant and vulgar,gentle and elegant,hermit scholar and so on.The flowers compare to the words and deeds: talk false clever,sweet talk,debauchery,squander,making his virtue more prominent,giving a deep impression.