Chinese Plum Blossom Paintings

Plum Blossom, commonly known as ume or Japanese apricot, or Chinese plum is a species of Asian plum in the family Rosaceae. The flower, long a beloved subject in the traditional painting of East Asia and Vietnam, is usually translated as plum blossom.One of the most beloved flowers in China, the plum blossoms have been frequently depicted in Chinese art and poetry for centuries. The Chinese sees its blossoms as both as a symbol of winter as well as a harbinger of spring. It is precisely for this reason that the blossoms are so beloved, as they bloom most vibrantly amidst the winter snow, after most other plants have shed their leaves, and before other flowers appear. They are seen as an example of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity, and more recently have also been used as a metaphor to symbolize revolutionary struggle since the turn of the 20th Century. Because they blossom in winter, the plum blossom is a member of "Three Friends of the Cold", along with pine, and bamboo. The plum blossom is also a member of Four Gentlemen of Flowers in Chinese art, symbolizing nobility.