What does it mean that humble bamboo has curved leaves, and proud plums don't spend them on its back?

This self-encouragement couplet is from Zheng Xie in Qing Dynasty.

Modest bamboo has curved leaves.

Ao Mei (Zheng Xie)

It means that bamboo modesty can make people bow modestly, while plum blossom is arrogant and unyielding and never flatters others. This association uses things to compare people and supports things to express their voices. Grasp the characteristics of plum and bamboo, and show people's beautiful hearts. The first couplet "has bowed its head and fallen leaves" means that bamboo is not arrogant, modest and restrained. The second pair of "no flowers on her back" refers to Mei's integrity. This company has concise language and clever ideas. This is a masterpiece with profound meaning and exquisite antithesis.

Bamboo is hollow and knobby, and leaves grow downward in pairs, like a "lattice", so it is said to be "humble" and "humble", which not only describes the external natural state of bamboo, but also refers to the internal spiritual morality of people, and the two are heterogeneous and have the same structure; The next step is praise. Mei, who is not afraid of first frost, is proud of the snow, so Mei has pride. Moreover, plum has another feature: all its flowers are facing up on the sunny side of the branches, and other flowers are not necessarily facing down (for example, peach blossoms have flowers facing down, so they are dismissed as "thin"). Therefore, "no two sides", this image feature of Mei is heterogeneous and isomorphic with the upright personality that people praise and do not bow to evil forces. Although couplets are praising bamboo and plum, they are actually a portrayal of people and themselves. The first part talks about the spirit of learning, and the second part talks about the character of being a man. Zheng Banqiao is an academic master of poetry, books and paintings, and he is proud of his frankness. Didn't later generations see the spirit of bamboo and the style of plum in him?

Note: 1. Curved leaf: refers to the drooping tip of bamboo leaves. 2. Flower: refers to plum blossoms with no stamens. Comment: This couplet eulogizes bamboo and plum, aiming at eulogizing character. Shanglian grasps the characteristics of bamboo and praises its modesty; The second part depicts Mei's spirit and praises the meaning of not flattery. If the intellectuals in China feudal society possessed the above two qualities, their personality could be said to be perfect. This couplet was written by Zheng Banqiao, or he encouraged himself to write it.