In Japan cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhistic influence, and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware. The association of the cherry blossom with mono no aware dates back to 18th-century scholar Motoori Norinaga. The transience of the blossoms, the extreme beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality; for this reason, cherry blossoms are richly symbolic, and have been utilized often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film, as well as at musical performances for ambient effect."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_blossom)
My personal favorite is the Prunus Sargentii.
Avenue of Cherry Trees by Hiroshi Yoshida, 1935
Cherry Blossoms captured as tattoos by a very talented artist, Marie Wadman from Oakland, California (top right and below).
No comments:
Post a Comment