Editing Bamboo (section)

=== China ===
[[File:Hsü Wei 001.jpg|thumb|''Bamboo'', by [[Xu Wei]], [[Ming Dynasty]].]]
Bamboo's long life makes it a Chinese symbol of uprightness and an Indian symbol of friendship. The rarity of its [[bamboo blossom|blossoming]] has led to the flowers' being regarded as a sign of impending famine. This may be due to rats feeding upon the profusion of flowers, then multiplying and destroying a large part of the local food supply. The most recent flowering began in May 2006 (see [[Mautam]]). Various bamboo species bloom in this manner about every 28–60 years.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/x5390e/x5390e05.htm |author=M. A. Huberman |title=Bamboo silviculture |at=(gregarious flowering species table) |journal=Unasylva |date=1959 |volume=13 |issue=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060629042246/http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=%2Fdocrep%2Fx5390e%2Fx5390e05.htm |archive-date=29 June 2006}}</ref>

In [[Culture of China|Chinese culture]], the bamboo, [[Prunus mume|plum]] blossom, [[orchid]], and [[chrysanthemum]] (often known as ''méilánzhújú'' {{lang|zh-hant|梅蘭竹菊}} in Chinese) are collectively referred to as the [[Four Gentlemen]]. These four plants also represent the four seasons and, in [[Confucianism|Confucian]] ideology, four aspects of the ''[[junzi]]'' ("prince" or "noble one"). The [[pine]] (''sōng'' {{lang|zh-hant|松}}), the bamboo (''zhú'' {{lang|zh-hant|竹}}), and the plum blossom (''méi'' {{lang|zh-hant|梅}}) are also admired for their perseverance under harsh conditions, and are together known as the "[[Three Friends of Winter]]" (''suìhán sānyǒu'' {{Lang|zh-hant|歲寒三友}}) in Chinese culture.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

==== Attributions of character ====
[[File:Freer 022.jpg|thumb|left|A cylindrical bamboo brush holder or holder of poems on scrolls, created by Zhang Xihuang in the 17th century, late Ming or early Qing Dynasty – in the [[Chinese calligraphy|calligraphy]] of Zhang's style, the poem ''Returning to My Farm in the Field'' by the fourth-century poet [[Tao Yuanming]] is incised on the holder.]]
[[File:S03 03 02 016 image 63.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Photo of carved Chinese bamboo wall vase. 1918. Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection.]]
Bamboo, one of the "[[Four Gentlemen]]" (bamboo, orchid, plum blossom and chrysanthemum), plays such an important role in traditional Chinese culture that it is even regarded as a behavior model of the gentleman. As bamboo has features such as uprightness, tenacity, and modesty, people endow bamboo with integrity, elegance, and plainness, though it is not physically strong. Countless poems praising bamboo written by ancient Chinese poets are actually metaphorically about people who exhibited these characteristics. An ancient poet, [[Bai Juyi]] (772–846), thought that to be a gentleman, a man does not need to be physically strong, but he must be mentally strong, upright, and perseverant. Just as a bamboo is hollow-hearted, he should open his heart to accept anything of benefit and never have arrogance or prejudice.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Bamboo is not only a symbol of a gentleman, but also plays an important role in Buddhism, which was introduced into China in the first century. As canons of Buddhism forbids cruelty to animals, flesh and egg were not allowed in the diet. The tender bamboo shoot (''sǔn'' {{lang|zh-hant|筍}} in Chinese) thus became a nutritious alternative. Preparation methods developed over thousands of years have come to be incorporated into Asian cuisines, especially for monks. A Buddhist monk, Zan Ning, wrote a manual of the bamboo shoot called ''Sǔn Pǔ'' ({{lang|zh-hant|筍譜}}) offering descriptions and recipes for many kinds of bamboo shoots.<ref>Laws, B. 2010. Bamboo. ''Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History''. New York:Firefly Books (U.S) Inc.</ref> Bamboo shoot has always been a traditional dish on the Chinese dinner table, especially in southern China.
In ancient times, those who could afford a big house with a yard would plant bamboo in their garden.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

==== Mythology ====
In a Chinese legend, the [[Emperor Yao]] gave two of his daughters to the future [[Emperor Shun]] as a test for his potential to rule. Shun passed the test of being able to run his household with the two emperor's daughters as wives, and thus Yao made Shun his successor, bypassing his unworthy son. After Shun's death, the tears of his two bereaved wives fell upon the bamboos growing there explains the origin of [[spotted bamboo]]. The two women later became goddesses [[Xiangshuishen]] after drowning themselves in the [[Xiang River]].{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}