Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-07

SlSu olHuiuco 1ihhSSe WI s.-''oy
{. Do you take me to be fool?" TO
II don't quite believe that story"
When skilfully used, it often leads to q
great reduction Ct prices.
Oriental Flower Lore.
( lTimes.l
During residence of some years in
the East / have had abundant oppor-
tunities Of studying the folklore Of the
people inhabiting the vast empire Of
China, the Malay peninsula, and the
adjoining lands, and have found their
lore to be Of the profoundest interest
and Importance. The facts which l
shall now submit to the reader
have not been oulled at Sc
cond-hand from the writings of
travellers or stay-at-home transls-
tors, but were cleaned from the lips
and homes of the people themselves, or
during my personal residence in the
East, where l had every opportunity OF
verifying the results Of my investiga-
tions. As being the most familiar to
Europeans, we will begin with the
orange, plant which, by reason Of its
bearing fruits and flowers at the
same time, and during the greater
part of the year, has been taken as
the symbol of fertility and prosper
ity. In China the word for "gene-
ration is tai !; in Japan the same
word means both generation" and
" orange" Now, see the way in which
the Language of flowers and fruits speaks
out in the East. When the new year
arrives the Japanese adorn their houses
with branches of orange, plum, BAN
boo, and pine--each Of which, being
placed over the entrance, has symbolic
meaning. The orange, called dai-dai,
represents the idea of perpetuity, or the
wish that there may be dai-dai-" gen.
Grafton on generation ito keep up the
family name. The bamboo signifies
constancy, as it is wood which never
changes its color; the pine-tree SYM
bolizes perpetual joy; while the plum
tree, blossoming in cold weather, en-
courages man to rejoice in time of
trouble and hope for better days.
In China there are many kinds of
oranges, one of which is known
in Canton as kat. Hundreds of years
before Christ this name was in use in
China, as we know from its mention in
the classic writings of that land. In
| Fuchan this word takes the form ofkek,
and in other parts Of the empire it will
be pronounced somewhat differently
still, but whether it be kat, or kek, or kin,
the syllable has lucky meaning. Con-
sequently, when the new year arrives, the
people procure large quantities of these
oranges, in order that they may be able
to express to their friends who call to
see them their wish that good luck may
attend them during the coming year.
This they do by handing them an
orange, and the lads who at this season
paw a number of visits to their relatives
and friends come off well, as it would be
considered both mean and improper to
send away guest without such token
of goodwill. There is in bloom at this
important season sweet little Daifodil
(Narcissus Tazettd), which is great
favorite with the people, and sells by
thousands in Canton and other large
cities. 1t bears the name of Shut san
fd, or "water fairy-hower," and is
cultivated in pots and stands OF
ornamental design filed with pebbles
and water. A list of fairy flowers,
or such as are by name and tradition
| in China associated with these "spirites
of small folks" The tree p@ony, or
montan, and the crysanthemum, and
chimonanthess, and other winter flow
ering plants, are also much sought az
ter at this time, and each has its
meaning. The costliness Of the for
mer has led to its being desig-
mated by the Cantonese as "the rich
mans flower" while the chrysanthe-
mum is such favorite in Japan as to
give its name to one of their great fes-
tivals. must not here omit to men,
ton the Citron, famous for the curious
fruit it bears. This fruit, the peel Of
which is employed among ourselves in
candied form for favoring certain
confectioneries at Christmas, grows in
very strange fashion. Though it be-
longs to the orange and lemon family,
vet one variety has fruits Of mon
strous shapes, very nearly resembling
in form the hand of Buddah,
with two of the fingers bent in q novel
manner, as represented in the paintings
and figures of that divinity. On this
account the fruits bear the name Of
Fu-shan, or " Buddah's hand" This
popularity, arising from the carpets OF
divisions Of the fruit being more or less
separated from each other and covered
with a common rind, has led to the
custom of placing it in porcelain and
other costly dishes before the household
gods or on the affairs in the tenn
pies at this particular season. 1t should
be noted that while some fruits are
specially agreeable to the gods others
are regarded as altogether unfit for their
use. Sometimes the fruit is tabooed
because Of its smell. while its color,
time, and place Of growth, shape, and
use, all have weight in coming to q
decision, In Penang some years
ago ! had the opportunity o.
attending an important festival al
the little shrine near the famous water.
fall, at the time Of the new year, and
then observed that bananas and cocoa
nuts were the most acceptable offer
ings, and as the deyotees came and pre-
sented them at the temple, the prizes
would cleye the nut in two and divide
the bunch of plantains, returning hal
to the worshipper and retaining half a.
the temple perquisite.
Randelph.Maeen Commencement.
The trustees meet Monday evening