What kind of existence does cherry blossom have for Japanese culture?

Cherry blossoms are not only a symbol of Japan, but also a kind of scenery, a kind of spirit and even a unique Japanese culture. Even if the national flower of Japan is chrysanthemum, it does not detract from the significance of cherry blossoms to the Japanese. To some extent, it is "Japan".

Every March 15 to April 15 is the cherry blossom festival stipulated by the Japanese government. In the long and narrow Japanese archipelago, cherry blossoms bloom from south to north and gradually spread into a "cherry blossom wave" carnival throughout the country.

Flowers are cherry trees, and people are warriors. Try to analyze why cherry blossoms can become a symbol of Japanese culture.

At this time, the Japanese will give up what they are doing and choose to enjoy cherry blossoms under the cherry trees with friends and family. Even all the political, commercial and cultural activities of the whole country are centered around the small cherry blossoms. Moreover, the Japanese are willing to show the cherry blossoms as the business cards of Japanese culture, which makes people wonder why the KINOMOTO SAKURA Flower Festival has such magic that the whole country is fascinated and crazy about it, and even regards it as a totem belief. Next, analyze in detail why small cherry blossoms can become a symbol of Japanese culture.

Origin: Cherry blossoms are an important symbol of harvest.

The emergence and popularity of customs in a region, a nation or even a country must be based on society.

In fact, it is generally believed that the Japanese people's pursuit of cherry blossoms and the custom of enjoying cherry blossoms gradually became popular in the whole Japanese society with the elegant actions of nobles such as Emperor Yi, but in fact, according to the research of Japanese folklore scholar Tada Michitaro:

The custom of viewing cherry blossoms is closely related to the "rice production" in ancient Japanese farming society.

Flowers are cherry trees, and people are warriors. Try to analyze why cherry blossoms can become a symbol of Japanese culture.

Just as various festivals and solar terms in China are related to agricultural time, the length of cherry blossom period is also the weather vane of Japanese crop harvest.

In ancient Japan, the Japanese archipelago was full of cherry blossoms. If the temperature rose quickly in spring and there was much rain, it would wither quickly. Such weather often meant crop failure, but if the cherry blossom period was long, it meant that the climate of that year was also very suitable for the growth of crops, and ancient people in agricultural society could foresee a bumper harvest year.

Therefore, the ancient Japanese often looked forward to cherry blossoms in full bloom, which stems from the people's expectation of a bumper harvest, not the elegance of the aristocratic class. A typical example is that the Imamiya Shrine in Kyoto, Japan still has a "happiness festival" to pray for a bumper harvest.

Flowers are cherry trees, and people are warriors. Try to analyze why cherry blossoms can become a symbol of Japanese culture.

Every year on the Happy Festival, local people will put on kimonos, sing and dance, and pray that cherry blossoms will wither slowly and bring you a bumper harvest year. This is the origin of Japanese cherry blossom culture.

Development: the incomparable fit between cherry blossoms and mourning culture

As we all know, Japan has been a small country with few people, many volcanoes and many earthquakes since ancient times. Even Mount Fuji, the symbol of another country, is an active volcano with no idea when it will erupt. Coupled with the connection between war and disaster in ancient Japan, the Japanese have different views on death since ancient times.