In Chinese painting, what does "Three Friends" in "Three Friends of the Year" refer to?

The "Three Friends" in "Three Friends of Winter" specifically refers to the three plants: pine, plum and bamboo.

The three plants are named after their ability to remain resilient in the cold winter months, which is a symbol of noble character in traditional Chinese culture and a metaphor for loyal friendship.

Origin: Song - Lin Jingxi "Wang Yun Mei She record": "that its residence for the mountains, planting plum hundred of books, and Joe pine and Huang Huang for the years of cold friends."

The cold, flowers and trees withered. Only pine, bamboo and plum these three "friends" thriving, a faction of vitality.

In fact, the pine and bamboo are evergreen, only the plum to the winter is extraordinarily spiritual. Three friends to the pine as the first. Because it is the most widely distributed from south to north, a large pine forest can form a "wind blowing, forest roar, canyon vibration" shocking auditory effect. Lone pines can also be on top of the mountain in the sky, forming a "twilight look at the strong pine, chaotic clouds flying across the still calm" visual wonders.

Bamboo is a symbol of elegance, purity, modesty, temperament, ancient and modern gardens almost no garden is not bamboo, living with bamboo, then the spring of the window, the air full of yard; bamboo shadow, gesture into the picture, the green leaves through the winter does not wither, clean and elegant and dashing. Throughout the ages, "not a day without this gentleman" has become the preference of many literati.

Plum blossoms are one of the ten most famous flowers in Chinese tradition, with excellent posture, color, fragrance and rhyme. Song Lin Hejing's poem "Shadow across the water is clear and shallow, dark fragrance floating moon dusk", the plum blossom's posture, charm depicted to the fullest. When the snow is flying, only plum blossom smiles at the cold, breaking the stamens and blossoming, which is so lovely and precious!

At the same time, it also symbolizes a person's outstanding, extraordinary character.

The pine tree is evergreen, upright posture, leaf dense and have layers of cloud clusters of momentum, interjection cascade, no less than Ma Yuan, Liu Songnian pen. In the winter when everything is in the doldrums, the pine tree is still lush and vibrant, symbolizing the youthfulness and strength. The character of the pine tree is the most admired by the people of China.