On the Literary Evolution of Lotus Plucking

The Book of Songsand The Lamentdo not contain the term lotus plucking (cailian). However, the lotus is used as a poetic expression in poems found in The Book of Songs, and there is also depiction of plucking lotus in The Lament. Lotus plucking, which originally was an activity by farmers, was introduced, in Jiang Nana Tang poem, into the realm of literary aesthetics. Later, the focus was shifted to yearning for their family members or a loved one in Crossing the River for Lotus Plucking. The singing and dancing of lotus plucking emerged during Southern Dynasties and remained popular in subsequent eras. Emperor Wu of Liang composed the Song of Lotus Plucking. Literati in the following ages composed numerous similar works which often involve themes of love and depicting lotus plucking as a leisure activity rather than physical labor. The evolution of plucking lotus from a depiction of physical labor to an imagery of romantic love was influenced by aesthetic preferences and a reproductive worship. Meanwhile, the subsequent evolution was profoundly influenced by the ingenious metaphorical mechanisms and the popularity of songs and dances for lotus plucking as well.