When it comes to attracting love and romance, peony flowers are often overshadowed by the popular peach blossom. However, these beautiful flowers possess the same power to captivate the heart and bring about good luck in relationships.
The Queen of All Flowers
Peony, known as "mu dan hua" in Mandarin, is hailed as the Queen of all flowers in China. Its exquisite beauty has earned it a special place in Chinese culture and traditions. Considered a symbol of youth, romance, and even lust, the peony comes in a variety of colors.
Out of all the colors, the pinkish red peony is the most revered for its ability to ignite passion and desire. Legends tell of the legendary concubine beauty, Yang Gui Fei, who used the mesmerizing display of mountain peonies to captivate the emperor's attention.
Even the white peony is highly regarded for its fertility-enhancing properties in traditional Chinese medicine. Parents would display peony flower paintings in their living rooms to attract eligible suitors for their daughters' hand in marriage.
A Symbol of Prosperity and Honor
Peony flowers hold deep cultural symbolism beyond just love and romance. They are associated with prosperity, honor, and rank, often depicted in auspicious paintings. When paired with other elements, such as roosters, fishes, or magnolias, they convey specific meanings:
- Scholastic achievements and prosperity when painted with a rooster.
- Peace and prosperity when pictured in a vase accompanied by bamboo.
- Glory, wealth, and power when paired with the lotus.
- Wealth, recognition, and longevity when depicted with peaches.
- Prestigious wealth with high official rank when a crane is surrounded by peonies.
- Nobility and social status when illustrated with peacocks or lions.
- Prosperity and honor at an elderly age when coupled with cats.
- Perfection when butterflies are added to the duo.
- Conjugal fidelity when depicted with just the butterfly.
- Great success in adulthood for children when illustrated with the Chinese unicorn.
Additionally, the combination of the tree peony, peach tree, bamboo, lingzhi mushroom, and narcissus is believed to represent divine longevity and blessings from the deities.
Peonies in Feng Shui
Peony flowers hold significance in feng shui as well. Some believe that women who display peonies attract numerous suitors, while men attract women of higher quality. However, this is still a subject of debate.
If you plan to incorporate peony flowers in your feng shui practice, remember that they have a strong effect on inducing passionate behavior. Therefore, it is advisable to remove any displays or monuments with red peonies once you or your daughters are in a committed relationship. This will prevent unwanted attention from potential suitors and ensure a stable relationship.
Married couples should also avoid hanging paintings of red peony flowers, especially in the bedroom. This can ignite desires and potentially lead to infidelity.
If you are a parent looking to help your marriageable-age daughters find a life partner, consider placing peony flowers in the living room or displaying them as art on porcelain ware. Alternatively, you can carry peony-themed accessories like key chains, pendants, amulets, or earrings in red, which is considered the most effective color for triggering peach blossom luck.
In feng shui practices such as Flying Star Feng Shui and 8 Mansions Feng Shui, peonies can be used to stimulate the romance star or enhance specific sectors associated with relationships.
Remember, peonies are a powerful symbol of romance, but use them with caution and be mindful of what you truly desire.
Peony flowers have long been associated with attracting love and romance.
