Reveal the spread and cultural connotation of the triangle plum
Wang Shiyi et al
Triangle plum is a plant with a long history and rich cultural connotation, which is widely used in garden landscape and courtyard beautification. The triangular plum was first discovered in South America, became popular in Europe, and was sought after by royalty and nobility, and then gradually moved from the court to the people.
disseminate
Origins The Triangle Plum was discovered in 1767 by Jeanne Bare, a French botanist who traveled with the famous French navigator and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville, in the forests of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1767, James Cook embarked on a round-the-world voyage with the Royal Navy on LinkedIn. This expedition not only came into contact with the largest flora of Triceratops in the world at that time, but also provided first-hand information for later research on Triceratops. In 1768, the British explorer Joseph Banks succeeded in collecting samples of the Triangle Plum and hired botanist Sydney Parkinson to draw an atlas that clearly marked the basic information of the Triangle Plum.
The appearance of the triangular plum made the European royal family and nobles at that time flock to it, and they have to have the triangular plum as a symbol of status. However, the triangular plum is a tropical plant, which likes warmth and cannot withstand the cold of northern Europe, so it can only be placed by the fire or in a warm bedroom, so it is also called "fireside flower" and "bedside flower".
History of Spreading Abroad The spread of the Triangle plum around the world was mainly carried out by missionaries, botanists, diplomats, travelers, nursery owners, and plant lovers. Since its discovery in Brazil, it has been spread and domesticated around the world mainly by two routes. One was introduced from Brazil to Europe, introduced to Britain and its colonies in the early 19th century, and gradually to Asia, and to various destinations through botanists and explorers.
At present, 14~18 species have been found in the genus Triceratops, among which the hairy-leaved species, the light-leaved species and the Peruvian species are the most ornamental.
History of domestic transmission The history of the cultivation of Triangle plum in mainland China has been more than 150 years, starting in 1872, when it was introduced to Taiwan from the United Kingdom by Dr. Mackay, a British, and is mainly planted in botanical gardens, parks and private gardens. Xiamen is the earliest area in mainland China to plant triangular plum, which was first planted in Xiamen Port and Xiamen University, and then gradually spread widely in Fujian, Guangdong, Yunnan and Hainan, and continuously introduced excellent varieties.
Cultural symbols
The flower language of the triangular plum is "perseverance, tenacious progress", its vitality is tenacious, even in the harsh environment can bloom proudly, is a symbol of perseverance and perseverance. The triangular plum blossom is a symbol of good luck and good luck, and people believe that it will bring good luck and happiness, so they often grow it in their home yards.
Table 1: Propagation path of P. triangular in foreign countries
In many countries and regions, the triangular plum has become a symbol of cultural and regional identity. The local representative flower of many provinces, cities, autonomous prefectures, districts and counties in mainland China is the triangular plum, which has also become the provincial flower, city flower and county flower. The same is true abroad, the triangle plum is the national flower of Zambia and Grenada, and it is the city flower of Naha in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
It is also often used as a symbol of festivals and major events, symbolizing unity and strength. Triangle plum is the symbol of Hainan International Tourism Island and Hainan Island International Film Festival, and has also been used as the guiding flower of "Olympic Torch Relay Haikou Station". The "Zhongshan Flower and Tree Conference" in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, uses the triangular plum as the main flower arranged at the venue. The Rural Leisure Tourism Scenic Spot Haikou Triangle Plum Blossom Sharing Farm has held the Triangle Plum Blossom Exhibition regularly every year since 2020.
Triangle plum is also widely used in the production of souvenirs and badges. On October 24, 2018, the People's Bank of China issued a silver commemorative coin for the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge with a triangular plum pattern on the back. Xiamen tourist attraction sells keychains in the shape of the city flower triangle plum. The basic pattern of the Xiamen social worker badge and propaganda logo is a triangular plum with three red hearts.
A large number of literary and artistic works have the theme of the triangular plum. Poets, writers, and artists often express unique insights into life, love, and nature by depicting the Triangle Plum.
In literary works, Shu Ting uses the song of life of the Triangle Plum in Sunshine Rock to express the spirit of fearless hardship and hard work, and Jin Jian writes a number of poems about the Triangle Plum in Poetry in the World. According to incomplete statistics from the National Library of China, there are 29 fiction books with the theme of Triangle Plum, and 1,499 books mention Triangle Plum in the text.
Among the musical works, Song Zuying's song "Triangle Plum" expresses the beauty and strong spirit of Triangle Plum, as well as people's love and pursuit of life; Hu Lu's Beijing opera song "Triangle Plum Praise" affectionately describes the splendor and tenacity of Triangle Plum and sighs at people's life and emotions; Hainan singer Gu Liya sings "Love of Triangle Plum", which not only praises the magnificent appearance of Triangle Plum and the development of Hainan, but also injects a strong sense of homesickness.
Among the paintings, the more famous works are "Triangle Plum" by Chen Mingmou, a Chinese flower and bird painter, and "Flowers Float Away" by Hu Yuguang, a Fujian flower and bird painter. In 2022, Hainan painter Chen Zhen congratulated the Year of the Tiger on his work "A City with Red Clovers". On October 14, 2023, the "See the Triangle Plum Again: Hu Yuguang Triangle Plum Works Exhibition" opened at the Xiamen Art Museum, exhibiting many excellent paintings such as "Spring in a City and Half a City of Flowers" and "Triangle Plum under the Sunshine Rock".
As a plant with unique charm and multiple values, its cultural history and connotation are constantly enriching and developing in the spread of Triangle Plum around the world. We should value and protect this precious resource, so that it can continue to bring endless beauty and value to mankind in the future. (The author's affiliation is College of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Hainan Dahuqiao Technology Co., Ltd.)
Table 2: Transmission path of P. triangular in China