What are the "four gentlemen" in calligraphy and painting works?

Four gentlemen: Chinese painting terms. It refers to plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. A branch of flower and bird painting. A group of painters in Song and Yuan Dynasties liked to write bamboo plums and add pine trees, which were called "three friends of the old cold". Zhenwu in Yuan Dynasty painted orchids in addition to the Three Friends Picture, which was named Four Friends Picture. During the Wanli period of Ming Shenzong (1573- 16 19), Huang Fengchi compiled the Four Classics of Zhu Mei Lanju, which Chen Jiru called "Four Gentlemen" and later "Four Gentlemen". Later generations plus pine trees (or daffodils or strange stones) are collectively called "five greens" or "five friends". The third episode of Biography of Mustard Garden by Wang in Qing Dynasty, namely plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. This theme can symbolize noble character and the spirit of integrity, strength, tenacity, optimism and fear of violence, and painters of all ages have painted for a long time.

Mei Zhulanju's "Four Gentlemen" has been loved by the world for thousands of years with its elegant and indifferent quality, and has become a cultural symbol of personality. Although this is due to its own nature, it is also related to the appreciation and admiration of literati in previous dynasties. The theme of "Four Gentlemen" has been accompanied by the development of China's flower-and-bird painting.

The reason is not only a kind of natural beauty reflected by the natural attributes of "Four Gentlemen", but more importantly, the ancients injected a kind of personality strength, a kind of moral sentiment and cultural connotation into "Four Gentlemen" and realized self-worth and personality pursuit through "Four Gentlemen". In the end, the "Four Gentlemen" became an excellent way for the ancients to express their feelings, inspire themselves and show their noble character.

In the category of flower-and-bird painting, Chinese painting plum blossom, Chinese painting orchid, Chinese painting bamboo and Chinese painting chrysanthemum are the objects that painters often like to express. This reflects the symbolic significance of Chinese painting: according to China's traditional concept, these flowers and plants have noble moral character, just like "gentlemen" between people. "Gentleman" is an important category in China's philosophy, which refers to people with high moral cultivation, second only to "saints".

In the eyes of China people, plum blossoms are in full bloom in the dead of winter when it is snowing all over the sky, and they are not afraid of cold and snow, symbolizing that a gentleman is mighty and unyielding and not afraid of violence; Orchids live alone in the valley, enjoying the fragrance of cliffs and deep valleys, symbolizing the elegance of gentleman's conduct and the independence of the world; Bamboo is ethereal, straight outside, elegant and beautiful, symbolizing the gentleman's humility and ethereal, high morality and integrity; Chrysanthemum is in full bloom in late autumn, facing the wind in Ao Shuang, unique and elegant, symbolizing a gentleman's isolation from the world and not being stained. These themes are not only often seen by painters, but also commonly used in various literary styles. Artists like these flowers and plants, which actually shows their admiration, pursuit and praise for noble morality.