The spider lily is often considered a flower of separation and tragedy. But is that really the case? Does the spider lily hold any other significance? Join Xu Farm in exploring the meaning of spider lily, intertwined with legends, in the article below.
The Spider lily has long been known as a symbol of separation, representing melancholic tales of lost love. However, few might know why this flower is immediately associated with loneliness and sadness. To help you understand more about the beauty and special significance of the Spider lily, let’s continue reading!
Introduction to Spider Lilies
The Spider Lily, originating from China, Korea, and Nepal, was later introduced to Japan. Also known as Lycoris Radiata, regardless of its name, this flower possesses a unique beauty distinct from many other flower species. Since then, this flower has become a cultural symbol, representing the upcoming autumn season. Spider Lilies are often seen in Japan, growing along pathways, around rice fields, and in residential areas.
Spider Lily typically reaches a height of about 40 to 100cm. Before blooming, the plant tends to grow upright and produces small flower buds. The peak flowering period is usually from July to September, with the petals of the flower sometimes extending up to about 60cm. This flower comes in various colors, but the most commonly encountered is red.
What is the Meaning of a Spider Lily?
In different countries, the symbolism of the Spider Lily varies. For instance, in Japan, it represents sad memories, and despair, while in Korea, it portrays longing for a loved one. In China, mentioning the Spider Lily is akin to recalling separation and parting.
Overall, Spider Lilies often signify separation, sadness, ill-fate, or denote a tragic end or suffering. Simultaneously, they convey the message that love is fleeting, relationships might end, and it’s better not to lament lost opportunities to avoid further pain. Let’s delve deeper into the meaning of Spider Lilies below!
The meaning of Spider Lilies in love
The Spider Lily symbolizes separation in love. It’s often portrayed through the leaves and the flower’s legend as the eternal parting of lovers through many lifetimes. Love that persists, never consummated, depicts an exalted, indestructible, yet incredibly painful affection.
Hence, this flower carries the significance of painful memories, parting, suffering, and the beauty found within death.
The spiritual significance of Spider Lilies
Depending on each country, Spider Lilies hold different spiritual meanings:
- In Japan, this flower is seen as a symbol of reminiscing sad past memories, thus commonly used for visiting graves.
- In Korea, the flower symbolizes the longing between loving couples.
- In China, Spider Lilies represent a sense of pure, perfect beauty.
Additionally, Spider Lilies also hold positive Feng Shui significance. Many people plant Spider Lilies in their gardens or along the entrance to their homes to bring good luck to the household.
Meaning of Spider Lily by Color
Today, the significance of Spider Lilies is becoming more distinctly depicted and documented. Xu Farm has compiled information on the meanings of Spider Lilies based on their colors for your reference below.
Red spider lily meaning
Boasting a vibrant red hue that catches the eye, the red Spider Lily stands out as the most common among all the colors. Concealed within its bright red blooms is the symbolism of separation, the sorrow of love being parted.
White spider lily meaning
In Buddhism, the white Spider Lily is also known as Mandara and is often utilized in mourning ceremonies by the Chinese and Japanese. The symbolism of the white Spider Lily conveys sorrow, loss, and the separation between the living and the departed.
Yellow spider lily meaning
Just as dazzling as the red Spider Lily, the yellow Spider Lily adorns itself in warm golden tones akin to the sun’s radiance. Surprisingly, it evokes an eternal separation, the inability to see each other, yet deeply harbors the silhouette of the other within the heart.
Purple spider lily meaning
The purple Spider Lily has entranced many with its loyal hue, signifying that despite any hardships, love remains whole and pure as it was in the beginning. Moreover, they also symbolize the idea that after a long separation, you will eventually reunite with your significant other.
Many people wonder about the meaning of the blue Spider Lily due to its color and beauty. The blue Spider Lily is more associated with mythical tales, recognized more for its blue hue rather than the typical red. In reality, there is no existence of the blue Spider Lily, holding profound connotations of separation, sorrow, loss, misfortune, and the “beauty of death.” However, most people still understand the Spider Lily’s significance as “painful memories.”
When to gift Spider Lilies?
Spider lilies don’t have any suitable occasions for gifting other than mourning ceremonies and remembering the departed. They are associated with final farewells and death, making them an inappropriate choice for any other occasion.
However, the red Spider Lily is a good flower choice for memorial events, remembrance, and funerals. In Buddhist tradition, they are often planted on graves to honor the deceased. Similarly, bouquets of red Spider Lilies are offered on altars to show reverence to ancestors.
The Legend of Spider Lily
There are various legends surrounding this flower. The following story is excerpted from a Chinese fantasy tale.
Long ago, Man Chau and Sa Hoa were a couple destined to be together, yet the celestial laws forbade their union. Their intense longing for each other led them to defy these laws, seeking one another and vowing never to be apart. It was this forbidden love that led them to be cast down to the mortal realm, eventually transforming into the flower and leaves of the same plant.
This plant boasts a striking beauty but holds within it much sorrow. Interestingly, when the flower blooms, the leaves do not grow, and when the leaves flourish, the flower never appears. The separation of the flower and the leaves mirrors the punishment imposed upon Man Chau and Sa Hoa, keeping them forever apart.
One day, the Buddha stumbled upon these radiant red flowers that symbolized both longing and concealed melancholy across a vast expanse. Understanding the mystical significance within, the Buddha was moved with compassion and brought them to the Pure Land.
As part of the Buddha’s realm, a place of serenity, these flowers had to shed their feelings of sadness, and longing, and remain in the mortal world. Consequently, these emotions coalesced into a vibrant red hue and fell upon the River of Transmigration.
At that moment, the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha scattered seeds to transform them into bright red blossoms that soared from the water’s surface. Thus, these red flowers became known as Man Chau Sa Hoa, tasked with guiding souls towards reincarnation.
The flowers within the Buddha’s Pure Land transformed into a pure, untainted white, untouched by worldly dust. They were named Ma Da La Hoa – the flowers of the Buddha’s realm, also another name for the spider lily.
Therefore, the Spider Lily comes in two primary colors: one, the pure white flower symbolizing renunciation and transcendence of desires and suffering, and the other, the vivid red flower evoking separation and sorrow.
Conclusion
Above is our article about the meaning of Spider Lily. We hope that the information provided serves as a perfect reference guide, helping you select your preferred flower arrangement as a gift for friends and loved ones on special occasions. Don’t forget to follow xufarm.com so you won’t miss any exciting updates!
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