中国古代桃花的物候意义

The Biotemperature Significance of Peach Blossom in Ancient China

在农耕和畜牧社会条件下,物候对古人来说极为重要。桃花常见,阳春三月开花,花色鲜艳,因而常被人们作为春耕和其他农事开始的信号,古代农书、类书等文献也多以桃花开作为春天的物候。基于对桃花物候的认识,文人在描写春天或者春日节令时,也常常以桃花的盛开或者凋谢为其表征,通过将桃花与李、柳或者莺、燕、杜鹃等组合来描写早春、盛春、暮春之景。与其他春日花卉比较,桃花的物候意义最为明显。

Biotemperature is very important to the ancient people under the social condition of agriculture and livestock farming. Peach blossom is very common in early Spring time, its color is brilliant, therefore it is frequently used as a signal of the beginning of Spring fanning and other agricultural events. Ancient books such as agriculture guides and encyclopedia axe also take peach blossom as a biotemperature symbol of Spring. Based on their recognition of peach blossom, the literati are often use its blossom, wither and fall as a surface feature of Spring when they describe Spring related contents, they also frequently make a combination of peach blossom with plum blossom, willow, oriole, swallow and cuckoo to describe the scenery of early, middle and late Spring. Compared with other flowers, the biotemperatual significance of peach blossom is the most obvious.