National tree. Symbols of China and their meaning. Peony - the national flower of the Celestial Empire

Any state modern world possesses one or another of its own symbols, official from the category of heraldic and national - sometimes mythical, from those that are somehow connected with folklore, history and culture, generally recognized or not, and often even imposed once from the outside and eventually became the most real and much more familiar stereotypes for foreigners.

As, for example, the brown bear, balalaika, earflaps, vodka, and now also black caviar, matryoshka and AK-47 assault rifle, imposed on the rest of the world from one and a half hundred years ago by the Anglo-Saxons - according to the deeply subjective opinion of the same Anglo-Saxons, is the best possible " symbolizing "Russia.

By such symbols, unique and distinctive, one or another country is immediately recognized, and any of them is its real " business card"; their vocation, the main task of such symbols is to immediately engrave in memory and be remembered for a long time.

Of course, the People's Republic of China also has its own official and folklore symbols.

Among the main state symbols of the Celestial Empire, like any other state, are its flag, coat of arms and anthem.

The author of the scarlet cloth with racially correct yellow stars is Zeng Liangsong. The four small stars below are the native proletarians and peasants, as well as the Chinese urban intelligentsia and the army. And the big star, dominating the four just described, is intended to symbolize their indestructible unity and selfless devotion to the Chinese Communist Party.

Quite a Leninist, more precisely, Stalinist - for the peak of the "most acute" friendship between the two great peoples, the Soviet and the Chinese, occurred exactly during the time Generalissimo Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was at the helm of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. And, presumably, this fact played a significant role in the development of the design of the national flag of the neighboring People's Republic of China. In any case, the influence of the northern neighbor is obvious and indisputable here.

In the center of the Chinese national emblem there is an image of the mausoleum of the Father of the Nation - Comrade Chairman Mao Zedong on the world's most famous Tiananmen Square in Beijing, and above it, the same "assortment" of stars and in the same order. The ears, which very organically complement this drawing, symbolize the Chinese working class and the Chinese peasantry, thus performing the same heraldic role as similar ears in the coat of arms of the USSR.

The national anthem of the People's Republic of China is the March of the Volunteers. In his homeland he is called San Ming Chui, which means "The Three Principles of the People." For the Chinese, this piece of music is especially valuable because it contains excerpts from the speech of the founder of the Kuomintang, Comrade Sun Yat-sen, the most respected politician in the country.

National symbols of China

From symbols of Chinese statehood to national symbols, including even a ginkgo tree, which probably plays the same symbolic role as Russian birches or Japanese sakura.

In addition, the peony, crane, giant panda and even ping-pong, therefore, table tennis, are also among the national symbols designed to personify China among its citizens.

The ginkgo tree is known, in particular, for the fact that it was once "exported" by Chinese monks to Japan, and after its planting survived the American atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 and survived, it is considered inflexible in the Celestial Empire.

Peony - the national flower of the Celestial Empire

The peony was chosen as such by a popular vote in 1994. In China, it is considered a symbol of extraordinary luxury and prosperity - and if so, then such a choice of the Chinese is quite understandable and very easy to explain.

Not anyhow - but a red royal crane, symbolizes the elegance and rise of China - and in the local mythology it symbolizes immortality, that is, in fact, it has the same functions as the famous Phoenix Bird.

The giant panda is the national animal of the People's Republic of China

If only because, except in China, these awkward funny creatures do not live anywhere else in the world.

Table tennis is a national sport

It is very common in China, mainly due to the excitement, which is especially pronounced during the game. The Chinese, by the way, are by far the best in this sport!

One of the most obvious symbols of modern China - visible even from near-earth orbit - is the Great Wall of China. Although, according to the opinion that is increasingly spreading in certain circles, it has no historical relation to the Celestial Empire itself. The reason for this opinion was the fact that the loopholes of this fortress wall look towards China, and not vice versa - as it would be if this wall would serve the defensive needs of the ancient Chinese.

Other "tea experts" with foam at the mouth argue that as an agricultural culture tea spread throughout the world precisely from ancient China, thus refusing the primacy of India and Sri Lanka.

It can generally be considered a national brand, the history of which goes back thousands of years. It is famous all over the world, first of all, for its quality - in the 18th century it was used in Russia as an obligatory element in the design of the interiors of imperial palaces, in particular, when stylizing various "Chinese rooms".

Chinese mythical symbols

Mythology and mythological symbols in general, strictly speaking, are "obligatory" in heraldry, and modern Chinese heraldry, as is clear from the subsequent presentation, in this sense is no exception.

Chinese dragon

According to ancient Chinese national beliefs, the Dragon gave the distant ancestors of today's Chinese the most valuable thing - moisture. In the ancient indigenous hierarchy, he occupied the third place, after heaven and earth. In the past century, the image of a dragon was minted on small Chinese coins.

In various "modifications" dragons are found in the mythology of many European, Turkic and Asian peoples. For example, it is one of such "modifications" - the winged snake or dragon Zilant has been present in the coat of arms and on the flag of Kazan for a long time, being a symbol of this city.

Again, the famous Serpent-Gorynych from the Russians folk tales- none other than a three-headed dragon, note in passing, very winged.

By the way. The Chinese dragon and the Kazan Zilant are related by the presence of scales throughout the body, which automatically assigns them to the same species - reptiles.

The same as the Phoenix Bird or the Firebird in Ancient Russia, with practically the same "national functions": a symbol of eternal rebirth from fiery ashes and the subsequent renewal of all that exists. In Chinese mythology, her required attribute the peacock's tail is - exactly the same as that of the domestic Firebird.

WITH light hand Western missionaries began to associate the legendary Chinese qilin among the western public with a much more familiar unicorn. Indeed, the Chinese qilin has a horn crowning its head, but in appearance it resembles more of a lion or, in general, a typical representative of the feline family. Its most popular mythological variety today is the kirin. The chill, according to Chinese beliefs, symbolizes longevity and well-being.

With this, in general, everything is simple and transparent - in the Celestial Empire, the turtle is considered a symbol of longevity.

In Russia, many arrogantly consider Birch to be the national tree of Russia. However (as of 2016) the tree-symbol of Russia is not officially defined. Meanwhile, in Finland, neighboring Russia, Birch is a recognized tree-symbol of the country.

In 1988, in Finland, at the initiative of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, postal polls were carried out, according to the results of which the national tree of Finland, as well as the national animal, bird, fish, insect, flower and stone were selected. Betula pendula(Hanging birch), which has white bark in adulthood, was declared tree in Finland.

But what about us?

In September 1960 years in a small American town Seattle(Washington State) was finishing the work of the 5th World Forestry Congress. Representatives of the peaceful profession, who came here from 91 countries, decided to end the congress with the creation of the Peoples' Friendship Park. In the central alley, each delegation had to plant the national tree of their country.
The Soviet foresters came to a unanimous decision rather quickly: Siberian Larch has become a tree representing Russia(Larix sibirica).
Look at the map of our country.

11 species of larch grow on the territory of our country... The most widespread are Siberian and Daurian larch (Gmelin).

I would like to visit the Friendship Park of the city of Seattle. To see what happened to the Heroine, who represented our country, as well as to be curious about what other tree species are represented on this alley, and what their fate is today.


Experts classify larch as a coniferous plant, but unlike spruce or pine, it annually drops its needles for the winter, which before that turn yellow like ordinary foliage. Due to the ability to drop needles annually, larch got its name Larch.
The needles are bright green, soft, narrow-linear, sits on shortened shoots with 30-50 needles in a bunch.
Larch is a monoecious plant: female cones and male spikelets are on the same tree.

The wood of this wood species is very durable and practically does not give in to rotting. Since ancient times, larch wood has been used in shipbuilding. Without special impregnation, it goes to sleepers and telegraph poles and is especially good for piers, bridges, dams, where, as they say, it does not know demolition.

Two of the most beautiful cities in the world were built on larch piles: Venice and Venice of the North - Petersburg.


Larch bark is also a valuable raw material. Brownish-pink bark paint - permanent dye for fabrics and skins.

All in all Genus Larch(Larix) unites 16 types.

Larix czekanowskii Szafer - Chekanovsky Larch.
- Larix decidua Mill. typus - European larch, or falling larch.
- Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. - Gmelin larch.
- Larix griffithii Hook.f. - Griffith's Larch.
- Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrière - Fine-scaled larch, or Fine-scaled larch, or Japanese larch, or Kempfer's larch.
- Larix kongboensis R.R. Mill
- Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch - American larch.
- Larix lubarskii Sukaczev - Lubarsky larch.
- Larix lyallii Parl. - Layel's larch.
- Larix mastersiana Rehder & E.H. Wilson - Masters larch.
- Larix × marschlinsii Coaz
- Larix occidentalis Nutt. - Western larch.
- Larix potaninii Batalin - Potanin's larch.
- Larix sibirica Ledeb. - Siberian larch.

 

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