Bamboo (zhún, 竹) is an evergreen plant with the hollow stem. Bamboo is one of the few plants can survive during the bitterly cold winter season in Northern China. Due to this unique trait, in Chinese history and literature bamboo is the symbol of uprightness, tenacity, elegance, and modesty. There are countless historical stories, legends, poems and paintings written and painted by ancient Chinese poets and artists about people who metaphorically exhibited the characteristics of bamboo.
The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove
竹林七贤 (zhú lín qī xián), the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (also known as the Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove), were seven passionate literati who lived in Three Kingdoms period around 3rd century CE. They held progressive political view but were unable to realize their ambitions. As a reaction, they refused to seek fame and wealth and instead lived a bohemian life in a bamboo grove composing poetry, eating good food and drinking wine, and playing music and chess.
The Four Gentlemen of Chinese Art
Bamboo is one of the Four Gentlemen of Chinese literature and art, namely: plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum 梅兰竹菊 (méi lán zhú jú). These are important motifs that express aesthetic qualities. In Confucian ideology, the Four Gentlemen are admired for their perseverance under harsh conditions.
Bamboo as food and medicine
Besides its importance in Chinese literature, bamboo is particularly important in Chinese diet and traditional Chinese medicine. Bamboo leaves can be made into tea, and the roots can be used as dish or in soup. The hollow stalks of larger bamboo can also be used as a container to steam rice, or smaller ones to make chopsticks. In modern times, many people see bamboo utensils as an ecofriendly alternative to other manufactured utensils. Interestingly, not only is bamboo is useful for people, but happens to be the staple diet of pandas, the national treasure of China.
How to paint bamboo on rice paper with a Chinese brush and ink
Many Chinese know how to create a Chinese brush painting of bamboo. Fortunately, the basic skills are quite easy, no matter your age or ability, all you have to learn is how to write two Chinese numbers, which are 一 (yī, 1) and 八 (bā, 8). These two characters represent the basic strokes that create the stems of bamboo.
Once you’ve mastered these first two strokes, you also need to learn how to write three simple Chinese characters, which are 人 (rén), 个 (gè), 介 (jiè). These three characters depict different leaf shapes on a bamboo plant. With the combination of these characters, you can draw a realistic picture of bamboo.
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