"Book of the Chrysanthemum"

This excerpt is from "Discussion of the Fundamentals of Chrysanthemum Painting," by Mai-mai Sze.

There are many different kinds of chrysanthemums and great variety in their colors and forms. Up to the Southern Sung, Yung and Ming periods, only literati and retired scholars treated the subtle fragrance of chrysanthemums as a special subject of painting. They expressed it in ink, not using any color. They excelled in expressing its purity. Others after them were renowned for ink painting of the chrysanthemum. in their works it may be perceived that the chrysanthemum is "defiant of frost and triumphant in autumn," a saying that expresses the essence (ch"i) of its character. In painting the chrysanthemum, this idea must be clearly understood so that the transmittal of it originates in the heart and passes through the wrist to the brush. Color can not convey the idea.

Princess Haiku dreamed of a chrysanthemum touched with frost.

"You are a remembrance of winter's magenta heart, she said
to the rare bloom."

And then she and the flower of clarity, danced
through a night that was extreme beauty; a Zen garden.

Follow the way of the Chrysanthemum......