[Picture Book of Wild Grasses] (31) Narcissus (Suisenka) 📖 Finished reading "Picture Book of Wild Grasses"

|Narcissus (Suisenka)

The leaves resemble |cattails. The shape of the flower is likened to a "golden cup and silver stand." The petals are six in number, and the base is triangular and long. It resembles a "stem of a water lily." Also, the flower is wrapped in a thin silk bag at the end, and when the bag opens, the flower blooms. The color of the flower is white with a slight tint. Inside the single cup, there are three beads. All three beads in the cup are yellow.

Flowers are present from August until the second or third month of the following year. Autumn and winter narcissus flowers are found in the middle section of the leaves. Also, spring narcissus flowers are compared to the height of the leaves. Generally, following this for flowering plants, summer and autumn flowers are tall. Winter and spring flowers are short. The flowers of the four seasons never cease throughout the year. However, the flowers of autumn and winter, unable to endure the winter air, do not wait for spring; the narcissus emerges from its thin silk bag with its "golden cup and silver stand," not waiting for spring. It is a flower that connects the bond of meeting the spring flowers as they arrive, using its single cup.

※ "Golden cup and silver stand" refers to a single-petaled narcissus. Golden cup, silver stand. "Golden cup" is a golden goblet, and "silver stand" is the place where immortals dwell, a beautiful high tower decorated with silver, or a pedestal. ※ "Six petals" means six leaves.

Yang Chengzhai says, "In the world, the narcissus is called the 'golden cup and silver stand.' Indeed, the single-petaled variety has one wine cup inside. It is deep yellow and golden in color. The multi-petaled variety is the true narcissus."

Shangu says, "Another name for it is 'immortal bone.' The narcissus flower is not an ordinary flower. It possesses the skeletal form of an immortal. Therefore, it is called the immortal bone."

For the prepared flower, use gofun (shell powder) for the center veins, and the same for the rest. For the sides of the center veins, use byakuroku (pale green) for shading, and for the base, use gofun for the egg-shaped parts. Shade the bottom with byakuroku. Also, for the whole flower, add gofun to the mica and apply it; for the center beads and the base, apply a wash. For the base, leaves, and stems, use four parts yellow and six parts green, and apply a wash with the juice of the plant. For the bag wrapping the flower, apply gofun, then a wash, then shade with vermilion ink, draw the veins, and apply vermilion ink. For the leaf edges, apply gofun and mica, and draw the veins with the juice of the plant.

※ "Yang Chengzhai" is a Southern Song scholar and poet. One of the Four Great Masters of the Southern Song. Yang Wanli. His pseudonym is Chengzhai. ※ "Shangu" is a Northern Song politician and poet. One of the Four Great Masters of the Song. Huang Tingjian. His pseudonym is Shangu Daoren. ※ Reference: "Honzō Tsūkan Vol. 52-55 (

Narcissus)", "Collection of Ancient Books on Flower Arrangement, First Series, Vol. 3, Reprint" (National Diet Library Digital Collection)

Author's note: ● indicates characters that could not be deciphered, and □ indicates kanji that cannot be displayed on a computer. I will update this as I decipher new characters or notice typos/misreadings. For details, please read the "Self-Introduction/Disclaimer". 📖