On Flowers and Flower's Arrangements

Flowers are always associated with the outward surroundings and seasons of their bloom.  The roses naturally associated in our minds with a bright sunny spring day, lotus is naturally associated with a cool summer morning on a pond, the cassia is associated with the harvest moon and mid-autumn festivities, the chrysanthemum is associated with the eating of crabs in late autumn, the plum is naturally associated with snow and together with the narcissus it forms a definite part of our enjoyment of the New Year.

The peony, being rich in colors and its petals, is rather regarded as the symbol of the rich and happy man, whereas, the plum flower is the poets flower, and symbol of the quiet, poor scholar and therefore the latter is spiritual as the former is materialistic.

The orchid stands as the symbol of secluded charm because it is often found in a deserted shady valley.  The orchid was prized most among all the flowers because of its subdued fragrance and graceful charm, but it was difficult to obtain really good classic varieties.

The chrysanthemum is the flower of the poet.

Flowers have their moods of happiness and sorrow and their time of sleep.

Certain flowers go with certain other flowers as their minors or “maids” in a vase.  As personal maids who attended to a lady for life were an institution developed the notion that beautiful ladies looked perfect when they had pretty maids by their side as their necessary adjustments.  Both ladies and maids should be beautiful.

Each maid is exquisite in its own way, and they in their voluptuous or elegant charms like their mistresses.

I have found that all the people in the world who are dull in their conversation and hateful to look at in their faces are those who have no hobbies.

On What is Proper

It is necessary that flowers should have butterflies, hills should have springs, rocks should have moss, water should have water-cress, tall trees should have entwining creepers, and human being should have hobbies.

One should enjoy flowers in the company of beauties, get drunk under the moon in the company of charming friends and enjoy the light of snow in the company of high-minded scholars.

One always gets a different feeling when looking at hills from the top of a tower, looking at snow from a city wall, looking at moon in the lamp light, looking at coloured clouds in a boat, and looking at beautiful women in the room.

When the mirror meets with an ugly woman, when a rare ink-stone finds a vulgar owner and when a good sword is in the hands of a common general, there is utterly nothing to be done about it.

On Flowers & Women

One should not see flowers wither, see the moon decline below the horizon or see beautiful women die in their youth.  One should see flowers when they are in bloom, after planting the flowers.  Should see the moon, when it is full, after waiting for the moon.  Should see a book completed after starting to write it.  Should see a beautiful woman when they are gay and happy.  Otherwise our purpose is defeated.

Beautiful women are better than flowers because they understand human language and flowers are better than women because they give off fragrance. But if one cannot have both at the same time, he should forsake the fragrant ones and take the talking ones.

If a beauty should have the face of flower, the voice of a bird, the soul of the moon, the expression of the willow, the charm of the autumn lake, bones of the jade and skin of snow, and a heart of poetry.  I should be perfectly satisfied.

If there are no books in this world, then nothing need to be said but since there are books, they must be read.  If there is no wine, then nothing need be said, but since there is wine, it must be drunk, if there are no famous hills, then nothing need be said but since there are, they must be visited.  If there are no flowers and no moon, then nothing need to be said, but since they are, they must be enjoyed and played.  If there are no talented men and beautiful women, then nothing need be said, but since there are, they must be loved and protected.

The reason why a looking glass doesn’t become the enemy of ugly looking women is because it has no feeling if it had, it certainly would have been smashed to pieces.

Without wine and poetry, hills and water would exists for no purpose, without the company of beautiful ladies, flowers and the moon would be wasted.  Talented men who at the same time handsome and beautiful ladies who at the same time can write, can never live a long life.  This is not only because the Gods are jealous of them, but because this type of person is not only the treasure of one generation, but the treasure of all ages so that the creator dissent want to leave them in this world too long, for fear of sacrilege.