중국 고전시에 나타난 연꽃의 이미지

Abstract

This article was written to study the various symbols of Lotus in Ancient Chinese poetry. The various symbols of Lotus in Ancient Chinese poetry are summarized as that : The first, the Lotus is the messenger of love and longing. The pronunciation of '蓮(lian)' is similar to '戀(lian)', and it can easily raises the emotions of love in people's mind. Therefor a lotus song is generally known as the expression of love. The second, the Lotus is the owner of fine figure and clean scent, and also expressed as the symbol of fascinating beauty. This attribute of Lotus well beloved by all the people and many poets represented the special beauty in their expression. The third, the Lotus is the representation of the special ability to purify dirt. The Lotus born from the polluted mud but also have power to purify the surrounding environment. When the lotus is poured into the pond, the smell of the gutter in the water disappears, and the fragrance around it is filled up, so it becomes a better plant material to metaphorize the good personality that illuminates the surroundings.