Why is Li Bai and Su Dongpo's "Yang Hua" interpreted as "willow catkins"?

Yang Hua, as the name suggests, refers to the flowers that bloom on a poplar tree. Li Bai wrote in his poem "Hearing that Wang Changling's Left Migration to Longbiao Yao Sent This Letter":

Yang Hua has fallen and Zi Gui is singing, hearing the dragon sign crossing the Five Streams.

I send my heart of sorrow and the bright moon, drifting with the wind until the west of Yelang.

In the season when the poplar trees are falling, the cuckoo keeps chirping. I heard that Wang Changling has been demoted again, and I'm really worried about you. This is Li Bai using poplar flowers and cuckoo birds to express his emotions and also feel sorry for his friend Wang Changling.

▲ Impression of Li Bai

The great scholar Su Dongpo also wrote about the poplar tree flower in his book "Reduced Character Magnolia: Beginning of Spring":

Spring ox and spring cane, infinite spring breeze comes to the sea. Bian Beggar works in spring, dyed peach red like flesh red.

The spring flag brings spring victory, and a gust of spring breeze awakens from drinking. Not like the ends of the earth, rolling up poplar flowers like snowflakes.

Mr. Dongpo is a practical practitioner of life. In addition to his excellent elbow and pork belly, his lyrics are also full of color, aroma, and taste. Especially the last sentence of this poem, "Yang Hua is like snowflakes," is indescribable. This shows that Mr. Dongpo has seen Yang Hua bloom before, and Yang Hua is indeed like snowflakes.

▲ Impression of Su Dongpo

The Yang Hua in Li Bai's poetry and Su Xueshi's lyrics were interpreted by later people as willow catkins, which is a bit inexplicable and confusing for the father-in-law. People who have seen poplar flowers bloom and willow catkins also feel a bit panicked when interpreting poplar flowers as willow catkins. Poplar flowers are the flowers of poplar trees, and willow catkins are the flowers of willow trees. They cannot be confused. Some people say that Yang Hua, also known as Liu Xu, comes from "Ci Yuan". So, who is the one who shamelessly tampered with "Ci Yuan"?

Although the reputation of the term 'water Yang Hua' is not very good, it is not enough to mistake the ancients for fools. Yang Hua is not distinguished from willow catkins. The ancients were very rigorous in writing poetry and lyrics. Although they did not expect their poems to be passed down to this day, on that day, they really did not need to describe willow catkins as poplar flowers in their poems.

So, the Yang flower in ancient Chinese poetry is Yang flower, and the willow catkins are willow catkins.

▲ Poplar Trees by the Grand Canal in Suqian

So what is Yangliu? Yangliu is a willow tree, and the hanging willow tree pulled upside down by Lu Zhishen in "Water Margin" is a willow tree. It is rumored that the name Yangliu comes from Emperor Yang of Sui, who opened up the Grand Canal and ordered the planting of willow trees on the riverbanks. Later generations called this willow tree "Yangliu" in memory of Yang Guang.

In fact, the term "willow" has already appeared. In the Book of Songs, there is a line that goes, "In the past, I went, willow trees depended on me, but now I come to think, rain and snow fall." As for whether the willow trees in the Book of Songs are poplar and willow trees, or just willow trees, it varies from person to person. I believe they are poplar and willow trees.

The reputation of willow trees has always been good, and there are countless poems written about willow trees, much more than poplar trees. The most classic one is not Cao Xueqin's "Willow catkins" written by Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai, as follows:

Tang Duoling (Lin Daiyu)

Powder falls on Baihuazhou, fragrance lingers on Yanzi Tower. Round by round, paired into balls. Drifting is like thin human life, empty and lingering, said to be romantic!

Even plants and trees know sorrow, but in their prime, they turn white. Sigh at this life, whoever gives up, whoever receives! Regardless of marrying Dongfeng Chun, leave with you and endure the flood!

Linjiang Immortal (Xue Baochai)

Spring dance in front of Baiyutang, with the east wind rolling evenly. The swarm of bees and butterflies is chaotic, and they have often followed the passing water. Why bother with Fangchen?

Thousands of threads will never change, let him gather and divide as he pleases. Shao Hua Xiu Xiao has no roots, good winds rely on leverage to send me to Qingyun.

Cao Xueqin's poetry skills are indeed profound. Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai each wrote a poem called 'Willow catkins', which fully highlighted their personalities and destinies. Daiyu's poetry is always extraordinary, while Baochai's poetry exudes the atmosphere of human fireworks.

Liuxu and Yanghua are both gentle and passionate, making them tokens of love and sorrow for migrant workers and wandering wanderers throughout history, especially for Yanghua.

▲ Yang Hua

During the Northern Wei Dynasty, there was a Yanghua poem written by Empress Dowager Hu (Empress Xuanwu), which was said to be:

In the months of February and March, the willows and willows bloom together, and the spring breeze enters the boudoir overnight. The poplar flowers float and fall in the south.

Leaving the house with affection, my feet are weak. I have picked up the tears of Yang Hua and touched my imagination. Autumn has passed, and spring has returned to me with two swallows. I am willing to carry Yang Hua into my nest.

▲ Yanghua is like snow

Su Dongpo also wrote in "Shui Long Yin: Ci Yun Zhang Zhi Fu Yang Hua Ci":

I don't hate this flower flying away, I hate the Western Garden, the falling red is difficult to decorate. Where are the traces of the rain after dawn? A pool of broken duckweed.

Spring is divided into three parts, two parts dust, and one part flowing water. On closer inspection, it's not Yang Hua, Dian Dian is tears of separation.

Whether it was the ancient people who couldn't distinguish between poplar flowers and willow catkins, or the later interpreters intentionally misinterpreted them, this remains to be debated by experts. We must distinguish between poplar flowers and willow catkins ourselves to avoid being laughed at by pragmatic farmers.

After the most beautiful April days in the world, we have arrived at the sound of cuckoo in May. The small town of Suqian next to the Grand Canal is full of vitality, with rows of poplar trees and rustling leaves; Willow trees stand tall, with thousands of green ribbons hanging down.

▲ Yanghua is like snow

May is the season when poplar trees bloom, and the entire city of Suqian benefits from the wise decision made by the authorities. The people can receive the baptism of green poplar tree flowers in May. Yang Hua is like snowflakes, ancient people did not deceive me. It's best to wear a mirror while walking on the road, otherwise you may be dazzled by the sight of "messy flowers gradually captivating your eyes".

Yang Hua in the workshop

Yang flowers falling on the ground and equipment are highly flammable and have the potential to cause fires. According to the Graham evaluation method, the hazard source is identified as D=L * E * C, with three factors:

Likelihood (likelihood of an accident occurring)

E (exposure, frequency of personnel exposure to hazardous environments) and

C (consequence, the potential consequences of an accident).

The poplar flowers on the road

We adopt a semi quantitative valuation method for these three factors, which divides them into different levels and assigns values based on past experience and estimation. The specific evaluation of the danger level of falling poplar flowers in the workshop is as follows: D=L*E*C=3*1*7=21， Belonging to general danger, attention should be paid.

Graham Evaluation Method Table

Safety is no small matter. The poetic and picturesque Yang Hua has become a source of danger, which should not be underestimated. It should be swept and wiped. In the season of blooming Yang Hua in May, everyone should still attach great importance to it. Don't be absent-minded, interpret and underestimate Yang Hua like some people do, which may cause unnecessary economic losses.

#Let excellent traditional culture come alive and be passed down#