Flowers of the Four Seasons 四季花卉图 Possibly 1644 - 1912

Chen Jiayan’s “Flowers of the Four Seasons,” created with ink on paper, presents us with potent symbols of nature's cyclical rhythm. Plum blossoms herald spring, orchids suggest summer's delicate fragrance, chrysanthemums evoke autumn’s melancholy, and winters are symbolized with peony. These are not merely flowers; they are emblems. Across time, the chrysanthemum, for example, has shifted. Initially associated with longevity and nobility in East Asia, it traveled to the West, where it became associated with mourning, a flower to honor the dead. This metamorphosis speaks to a deeper psychological phenomenon. Our collective memory imprints upon these symbols, transforming them to mirror evolving cultural anxieties and desires. The enduring presence of these floral motifs reminds us that, like nature, human understanding is in perpetual flux, continuously adapting to new emotional landscapes.