Overview

There are a group of plants significant in the Chinese plant symbolisms with respect to immortality and demons. Many of these immortality plants are also anti-demons plants, and they usually have medicinal values.

The most prominent immortaliy plants are the peach with its fruits and the fungus fu-ling. The peach fruit features as the fruit of immortality in many legends. The fu-ling is associated with the Moon Goddess Chang-O, who was reputed to have stolen the immortality fungus from her husband, Feng-I and flew to the Moon.

The legend has that there is a huge peach tree bearing the immortality peach fruits. The tree was guarded by two immortals, Shen-Tu (Bitter Herb) on the left and Yu Lieh (Luxuriant Growth) on the right. They would especially watch the north-east to guard against demons coming from that direction. Shen-Tu would lasso the demon with his grass reed rope while Yu Lieh would kill it with his sword (peach sword).

Below are lists of the Chinese Immortality and Anti-Demons Plant Symbolism.

THE IMMORTALITY PLANTS
Common Name (Scientific Name) - Associated Quality

• CAMPHOR (Camphor officiarium) - Resurrection
• CASSIA (Cassia sp.) - Moon Rabbit, Old Man on Moon
• CHERRY (Prunus tomentosa)
• CHI (Mushroom family) - Moon Goddess Chang-O, 3 islands of "Tsu"
• CHRYSANTHMUM (Chrysanthemum family)
• CINNAMON (Cinnamon cassia) - Moon Rabbit, Old Man on Moon
• CYPRESS (Thuya orientalis)
• FIR (or Pine) (Pinus sinensis)
• FUH-LING (Pachyma coca), fungal Pine root
• GINSENG (Panax ginseng)
• HWANG-TSING (Polygonatum sp.), a bamboo-like plant
• JUJUBE (Date) (Zizphus sp.) - also Resurrection
• PEACH (Prunus persica) - Shou Hsing (God of Longevity)
• PEAR (Pyrus sinensis)
• PINE (or Fir) (Pinus sinensis)
• PLUM (Prunus triflora)
• SWEETFLAG (Acorus calamus) - Anti-demon
• "KHI" (Lycium chinensis)
• "SHUH" (Atractylis sp.), root

LONGEVITY PLANTS
Common Name (Scientific Name) - Associated Quality

• GINGKO (Salisburia adiantifolia)
• PALM (Palm family) - Resurrection

ANTI-DEMON PLANTS
Common Name (Scientific Name) - Associated Quality

• ARTEMESIA (Artemesia vulgaris) - Chang Tao-ling
• BAMBOO (Bambusa arundinacea) - e.g. as Firecrackers
• CAMPHOR (Camphor officiarium) - Resurrection
• GARLIC (Allium sp.)
• GOURD (Cucubita moschata) - Li T'ieh Kuei
• IRIS (Iris sp.) - Flower bath
• MALLOW (Hibiscus rosasinensis)
• ORCHID (orchid family) - Flower bath
• PEACH (Prunus persica) - Chang Tao-ling
• PINE (or FIR) (Pinus sinensis) - disliked by grave demon
• POMEGRANATE (Punica graniata) - substitute for Willow twig
• RICE (Oryza sativa) - Shen Nung
• SWEETFLAG (Acorus calamus) - with Artemesia
• WILLOW (Salix pentandra) - Used to sprinkle holy water
  (Pterocarya senoptera) - Given to protect those going away
  (Populus alba)

Find out more about Chinese plant symbolism in the book "Chinese Plant Symbolism"

The book "CHINESE PLANT SYMBOLISM" is a compilation of the Chinese traditions about plants. Animals and plants form significant motifs in the Chinese world of painting and craft, besides Chinese cooking and herbal lore. The plant symbolism includes plants signifying various blessings especially of fortune, family and longevity, plants reputed to have immortality or longevity properties and plants which have anti-demon powers. The "Garden of Plants" plays significant roles in the ancient Chinese tea ceremony, the Chinese art of Feng Shui and the Imperial mausoleum.

Plants are believed to be embodiments of shen power from Heaven. Hence, they, rather than animals, are associated with the legends of the "Fruit of Immortality" or "Tree of Life." Unlike animals, plants are seldom associated with evil nor used in black magic. More often than not, plants are important parts of the Feng Shui and white magic weapons against darkness. Originating in very ancient times, the Chinese plant symbolism has several common features with plant symbolism in other ancient cultures, including those in old Europe. The universal plant symbolism represents an important ancient science of life once held in common by humanity.

CHINESE PLANT SYMBOLISM urges you to recover and absorb the positive blessing significance of plants into your life. For the Ancient Masters cast the plant symbolism in bright delightful forms for guiding Man to walk in joyful harmony with Nature and himself.

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