Spring has arrived before we knew it. Many parts of China are currently experiencing a cold snap after the onset of spring. After this cold spell, numerous flowers will bloom, and it’ll be a great time to visit gardens and parks. But aside from these common ways of enjoying flowers, how did people in the Song Dynasty, a time of prosperous commercial economy in ancient China, appreciate flowers? Now, let’s step into the Song – era society where everyone had a passion for flowers.

Ⅰ. Wearing Flowers in One’s Hair

“簪花” means adorning the head with fresh flowers or flowers made from other materials. In ancient times, men not only applied makeup but also wore flowers on their heads. The beauty of flowers was widely recognized during that era, and the custom of wearing flowers was practiced by both men and women. Shen Kuo of the Northern Song Dynasty recorded the story of “Four Prime Ministers Wearing Flowers (《四相簪花》)”. In the fifth year of the Qingli (庆历) reign (1045 AD), when Han Qi (韩琦) was the governor of Yangzhou, there was a peony named “Golden Belt” in the back garden of the government office. This peony had four branches. Han Qi invited Wang Gui, Wang Anshi, and Chen Shengzhi, who was passing by temporarily, to enjoy the flowers together. Each of the four men wore a “Golden Belt” peony, and later, all four of them became prime ministers.

Ⅱ. The Evolution of the Flower – Wearing Custom

1, Tang Dynasty

As early as the Tang Dynasty, there were records of the flower – wearing ceremony. At the “Qujiang Banquet” held to celebrate newly – passed – the – imperial – examination scholars, these scholars were required to wear flowers as a symbol of honor. Among them, the youngest “Tan Hua Lang (探花郎, the Third Scholar in the Imperial Examination) ” was selected to ride through all the famous gardens in the capital city. This is where the lines “With heart elated, the steed runs at full speed; in one day, I view all the flowers of Chang’an” come from. Thus, in a sense, “flower – wearers” in the Tang Dynasty represented young talents and successful people. 🥂

Fun Fact: Why is the third – place finisher in the imperial palace examination in China called “Tanhua” ?

Tanhua means pick flower in English, in the Tang Dynasty, young and energetic newly – passed – the – imperial – examination scholars were selected as “Tanhua Messengers”. They would ride around famous gardens to pick flowers. Starting from the Song Dynasty, the third – place finisher in the imperial palace examination was officially named “Tanhua”, and this title has been fixed ever since.

2, Song Dynasty

In the Song Dynasty, from emperors and nobles to commoners and even criminals, both men and women could wear flowers. Everyone seemed to have a garden of the four seasons on their heads. There were rules regarding the seasons for wearing flowers. For example, in early summer, “jasmine filled the head”, and in spring, “peach blossoms set off each other”. Also, the flowers needed to match the overall look harmoniously. In terms of craftsmanship, the people of the Song Dynasty pursued delicacy and beauty. Women’s flower – adorned headdresses could be as elaborate as mountains or towers, and various artificial flowers were so lifelike that they could pass for real ones. Even at some large – scale celebration events, the emperor would bestow flowers for ministers to wear on their heads. These ministers had to personally wear these flowers back home. If they didn’t wear them or let their servants wear them, they would be punished accordingly. 🙅🏻

In the Southern Song Dynasty, flower – wearing became a ritual system. “Peony, rose, and peony blossoms all bloom on the hats of thousands of officials.” Officials of different ranks were bestowed corresponding flowers, which was elegant and full of poetry. Just imagine going to work and wearing peonies and peonies as if they were some kind of divine work badges!

In the Song Dynasty, officials of different ranks were bestowed corresponding flowers. The specific details are as follows:

• Fresh Flower Rewards

Peony: It was a common flower for rewards in the Song Dynasty. Emperor Zhenzong() of Song once held a banquet in Yichun Hall (宜春殿) and bestowed peonies to princes and prime ministers. During the Xuanhe reign of Emperor Huizong of Song, a new variety of peony named “Oujia Bi (欧家碧)” was cultivated. It was extremely precious, and only close ministers had the honor of wearing it. When Emperor Shenzong of Song visited the Jinming Pool near the imperial palace, he returned wearing a precious Yaohuang (姚黄) peony alone.

• Artificial Flower Rewards

a. Daluo Flowers (大罗花): They came in three colors – red, yellow, and silver – red, and were usually given to all officials.

b. Luanzhi Flowers (栾枝花): Made of multi – colored silk, only officials above the rank of Qingjian (卿监) were eligible to receive them.

c. Dajuan Flowers (大绢花): Available in red and silver – red, they were generally bestowed on officials below the rank of military officers.

d. During the Jiading (嘉定) reign of Emperor Ningzong in the Southern Song Dynasty, there were also detailed regulations on the number of flowers bestowed. For example, prime ministers and privy councilors were given eighteen large flowers and ten Luanzhi (栾枝) flowers, while scholars of the Fuwen (敷文) Pavilion were given twelve large flowers and six Luanzhi flowers. The number decreased gradually according to official ranks.

3. Yuan Dynasty

In the Yuan Dynasty, the trend of wearing flowers declined. The custom of wearing flowers was no longer popular during major festivals and ceremonies.

4. Qing Dynasty

During the Qing Dynasty, the flower – wearing custom further waned. Zhao Yi in the Qing Dynasty wrote in “Gai Yu Cong Kao (《陔余丛考》)”: “Nowadays, only women wear flowers in common custom. In ancient times, there was no one who didn’t wear flowers.” Since then, wearing flowers gradually became a privilege for women. There were very few men who wore flowers among men. Later, it was almost impossible to see men wearing flowers. It was not until this year, with a large number of film and television works on Song – Dynasty aesthetics coming out, that men wearing flowers reappeared in people’s vision, and gradually there were enthusiasts.

Ⅲ. The Interesting Painting of The Peddler

The Northern Song court painter Su Hanchen’s (苏汉臣) painting The Peddler (《货郎图》) shows an incredibly rich variety of goods. If you zoom in on the picture, you can see hammers, sickles, planes for farmers… lutes, zithers, erhu, ruan (a traditional Chinese plucked instrument with a round sound box, and it has four strings), pitch-pot (a traditional Chinese game of throwing arrows into a pot in ancient times), scrolls for the more refined folks… bows and arrows, axes, martial arts forks, knives, spear – like weapons, whips, stirrups for those who practice martial arts… toothbrushes, folding stools, funnels, pots, carrying boxes for ordinary people… and for the little kids in school, there are snake – skin drums, abacuses, as well as octagonal drums, long – handled drums, sheng (a traditional Chinese wind instrument with reed pipes and a wind chest) and conch horns. With all these things, the small flower in the peddler’s hair makes him look even kinder. In business, the saying “A friendly face begets fortune” holds true, and it also catches the eyes of many children. If a kid sets his or her eyes on a favorite toy, they’ll probably dream about it for years.

Summary

Wearing flowers reflects our admiration for the beauty of nature. It’s a timeless romance. During that era, wearing flowers wasn’t exclusive to girls. Boys could also embrace this kind of beauty.