110 CHINESE POETRY AND ITS CONNOTATIONS 



The "Kuei" inhabit the grave which connects with the 

 "World of Shades" and are a portion of the souls of the 

 departed ; and although there are kindly Kuei the influence 

 suggested is generally an evil one ; the Shen on the contrary 

 are beneficent personages who inhabit the higher, regions and 

 who, in addition to their other duties (which are many as the 

 Shen are the tutelary deities of the roads, hills, rivers, etc., 

 and are very busy) they intervene to rescue people from any 

 attacks from questionable sources. 



The Yao Kuai are a class of fierce creatures who live in 

 the wild regions of the south-west, and who delight in the 

 arrival of travellers because they like to eat the flesh of 

 human beings, and in the sparsely populated districts which 

 they inhabit are often denied their favorite food. Exiled 

 officials whose road carried them through these fearsome 

 portions of the Empire thought of the Yao Kuai with terror. 



Botany. — The flowers, plants and trees which have their 

 definite connotations make an almost endless list. A few of 

 the more important are: — 



Flowers and Plants. 



Paeony = Riches and prosperity. 



Lotus = Purity. Although it rises from the mud it is pure and spotless 



Plum-blossom = "The First." It is the first of the 100 flowers to open, 

 and therefore suggests the beginnings of things. 



Lan hua — Noble men and beautiful refined women. Confucius com- 

 pared the "Chun Tzu" to this little orchid with its exquisite scent, 

 and in poetry it is also used in constant reference to the women's 

 apartments and everything connected with them. Refinement is its 

 chief characteristic. 



Crysanthemum = Fidelity and constancy. In spite of the frost the 

 flowers continue to bloom. 



Ling Chili = Longevity. This fungus, which grows at the roots of 

 trees, is very durable when dried. 



Trees. 



Pine = Longevity, immutability, steadfastness. 



Bamboo = 1. Modesty ; 2. Protection from defilement ; 3. Inalterability. 

 These are the chief three of its seven virtues. 



Wu T l ung = Integrity ; High -principles ; Great sensibility, as when 

 "autumn stands," August 7, although it is still hot the Wu T'ung 

 "drops one leaf." Only its wood can be used for the Ch'in, or 

 "table-lute," on an extremely intimate instrument which betrays 

 the feelings of the person who is playing it. 



Willow — A prostitute, or any very frivolous person. It also conveys 

 because of its lightness and pliability the idea of extreme vitality. 



Peach sa Beautiful women, because of its exquisite colour; also ill- 

 success in life, as one shower of rain destroys its beauty. 



Mulberry = Utility : also suggests a peaceful hamlet. Its wood is used 

 for the making of bows, and of the wooden drums known as 

 "mo yii" wood fish used in temples. Its leaves feed the silk-worms. 



