BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Smithsonian Gardens & USBG -- Orchids: A View From The East @ Natural History Museum

DC -- Smithsonian Gardens & USBG -- Orchids: A View From The East @ Natural History Museum:

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Description of Pictures: Orchids: A View From The East: January 29 - April 24, 2011:
Orchids have been a part of Chinese culture for many centuries, permeating Chinese history, legends, literature, and art. Since ancient times, orchids have been celebrated in China for their beauty and fragrance, and appreciated as symbols of nobility, friendship, and refinement.

The orchid displays in this exhibit are interpretations of these themes. Enter and explore reflections of this enchanting plant through Chinese culture, from ancient times to the present day.

Orchids in Chinese Art and Culture:

This reverence for orchids expresses itself in many ways, from the contemplation of a single plant to an enthusiasm for color, new forms, and mass display. Age-old traditions have evolved into the extravagances of the contemporary Asian orchid world.

The Chinese philosopher Confucius compared the virtuous man to an orchid. Echoing this thought, Chinese artists sometimes placed orchids in their work to evoke the Confucian qualities of humility, integrity, refinement—in fact, all the virtues of a perfectly cultured gentleman and scholar.

Orchids in Chinese Medicine:

In traditional Chinese medicine, the body is a small universe containing an array of opposing forces—yin/yang, cold/warm, passive/active, and more. Medicines, often including plants and herbs, balance those oppositional forces. Orchids are essential ingredients in many Chinese medicines that are still used today.

The oldest Chinese pharmaceutical text, Shen Nong’s Materia Medica [Shen Nong bencao jing], lists 364 plant, animal, and mineral substances and their medicinal properties. It includes orchids such as various Bletilla and Dendrobium species.

Orchid Extravaganza:

Today, the world of orchids is one of color and excitement. Orchid cultivation has become an international industry in which China and many other parts of Asia compete. Orchids that originated in all parts of the world are now grown in mass quantities in Asia.

Leading the way is Taiwan, which is unrivaled in Phalaenopsis orchid cultivation and marketing. By making these blooms at once more extravagant and more available, Taiwan’s orchid breeders have changed the way people around the world see orchids. The annual Taiwan International Orchid Show is an eye-dazzling spectacle of horticultural showmanship.

Creating the Orchids Exhibition:

For the last 17 years, the Smithsonian Gardens and the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) have cooperated to present the annual orchid exhibition. The two institutions share plants and resources, and alternate planning and hosting the exhibit.

The Smithsonian Gardens curates a diverse collection of close to 9,000 live orchid plants, many of which will be displayed in Orchids: A View from the East.

This exhibition is presented by the Smithsonian Gardens, United States Botanic Garden, Smithsonian Office of Exhibits Central and Office of Facilities Engineering and Operations, and National Museum of Natural History. Special thanks to the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the National Postal Museum and the U.S. National Arboretum for their assistance and generosity.

The above was from http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/orchids/index.html

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[1] ORCHID_110223_001.JPG	[2] ORCHID_110223_006.JPG	[3] ORCHID_110223_011.JPG
[4] ORCHID_110223_017.JPG	[5] ORCHID_110223_020.JPG	[6] ORCHID_110223_022.JPG
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[10] ORCHID_110223_037.JPG	[11] ORCHID_110223_047.JPG	[12] ORCHID_110223_051.JPG
[13] ORCHID_110223_057.JPG	[14] ORCHID_110223_069.JPG	[15] ORCHID_110223_084.JPG
[16] ORCHID_110223_089.JPG	[17] ORCHID_110223_100.JPG	[18] ORCHID_110223_102.JPG
[19] ORCHID_110223_106.JPG	[20] ORCHID_110223_140.JPG	[21] ORCHID_110223_143.JPG
[22] ORCHID_110223_150.JPG	[23] ORCHID_110223_155.JPG	[24] ORCHID_110223_163.JPG
[25] ORCHID_110223_168.JPG	[26] ORCHID_110223_172.JPG	[27] ORCHID_110223_180.JPG
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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. ORCHID_110223_017.JPG: Orchids: Orchids have been a part of Chinese culture for many centuries, permeating Chinese history, legends, literature, and art. Since ancient times, orchids have been celebrated in China for their beauty and fragrance, and appreciated as symbols of nobility, friendship, and refinement. This reverence for orchids expresses itself in many ways, from the contemplation of a single plant to an enthusiasm for color, new forms, and mass display. Age-old traditions have evolved into the extravagances of the contemporary Asian orchid world. The orchid displays in this exhibit are interpretations of these themes. Enter and explore reflections of this enchanting plant through Chinese culture, from ancient times to the present day.
2. ORCHID_110223_020.JPG: Smithsonian Gardens: The Smithsonian Gardens cares for the Smithsonian's living plant collections around the National Mall. Their elegant and inspiring displays bring living beauty inside the museums. With close to 8,000 orchid plants in their collection, SI Gardens horticulturalists nurture a remarkably diverse array of orchids from all over the world. They carefully select new acquisitions based on each plant's display quality, educational value, beauty, and rarity. The Smithsonian collaborates with the United States Botanic Garden each year to keep the orchid exhibit full of colorful blooms for four months. They also alternate planning and hosting the exhibit. In 2012, the orchids will be displayed at the Botanic Garden, but you can see them at the Smithsonian again in 2013.
3. ORCHID_110223_022.JPG: Lan means "orchid" in Chinese. More specifically, it refers to the orchid Cymbidium ensifolium. The word lan is also used to convey such "orchid-like" qualities as elegance, refinement, purity, nobility, and goodness.
4. ORCHID_110223_037.JPG: Orchid Tea: In China, the dried flowers and stems of orchids are sometimes added to tea for their medicinal properties. According to traditional Chinese medicine, a tea made with the dried stalk of a Dendrobium orchid helps to restore strength and improve eyesight. Many plants and fungi -- not only orchids -- are ingredients in medicinal teas. The mushroom in the fan painting no the wall is Ganoderma lucidum, traditionally called the "fungus of immortality" for its healthful properties. Known in Chinese as lingzhi, it is still sold widely in China, both in traditional pharmacies and by peasants outside temples and monasteries.
5. ORCHID_110223_057.JPG: Scholars's Stone: Why is this unusual rock here? The furnishings of a scholar's room often included a "scholar's stone" (sometimes called a viewing stone). Scholars collected such stones, worn and eroded into rugged shapes, for personal enjoyment and contemplation. Some stones look like miniature mountains. Others have textures and crevices that suggest great age. Chinese scholars found delight and inspiration in surprising and unusual shapes found in nature.
6. ORCHID_110223_069.JPG: Scholars's Stone: Why is this unusual rock here? The furnishings of a scholar's room often included a "scholar's stone" (sometimes called a viewing stone). Scholars collected such stones, worn and eroded into rugged shapes, for personal enjoyment and contemplation. Some stones look like miniature mountains. Others have textures and crevices that suggest great age. Chinese scholars found delight and inspiration in surprising and unusual shapes found in nature.
7. ORCHID_110223_084.JPG: Beauty Standing Near a Pot of Orchids: China, Qing dynasty, 1720s-1730s (reproduction) The woman in the window is said to be Lady Liu, concubine to the Yongzheng emperor (reigned 1722-35). She holds a pale green orchid (and wears one in her hair, right). In the foreground, the dish on a garden table of eroded stone holds two orchid plants, whose blossoms are barely visible among the narrow leaves. Set in this context, orchids stand for feminine charm and beauty, and for deep emotional connection between two people.
8. ORCHID_110223_100.JPG: Ink Orchid copy, after Zheng Sixiao The artist Zheng Sixiao (1241-1318) used orchids as the emblem of patriotic devotion. In this dramatic ink painting, Zheng expresses anger at the Mongol invasion of China. The absence of earth in the painting symbolizes the Mongols' theft of Chinese lands, while the orchid itself represents Zheng's loyalty to the fallen dynasty.
9. ORCHID_110223_140.JPG: Orchids in Chinese Art: Orchids have appeared in Chinese art for more than a thousand years, embodying a variety of social, poetic, philosophical, and political meanings. But, above all, their undisputed beauty -- especially their delicate arching leaves -- has long enraptured China's artists. The paintings on display in this exhibit are reproductions of works from the Smithsonian's treasury of Asian art in the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
10. ORCHID_110223_143.JPG: Portrait of Yinli, Prince Guo probably by Mangguri (1672-1736) China, Qing dynasty, 1731 (reproduction) The philosopher Confucius compared the virtuous man to an orchid. Echoing this thought, Chinese artists sometimes placed orchids in their work to evoke the Confucian qualities of humility, integrity, refinement -- in fact, all the virtues of a perfectly cultured gentleman and scholar. Yinli was the brother of the Yongzheng emperor (reigned 1722-35). The planted by his feet contains a traditional grouping of orchids, rocks, and lingzhi (fungus of immortality) that symbolizes the prince's virtues. "An orchid in a deep forest sends out its fragrance even if no one is around to appreciate it. Likewise, men of noble character hold firm to their high principles, undeterred by poverty." -- Confucius (551 - 479 BC)
11. ORCHID_110223_150.JPG: Orchids, Bamboo, and Rock by Shitao (1642-1707) China, Qing dyntasty, ca 1700 (reproduction) For artists of the Qing dynasty, orchids, bamboo, and rocks all represent admirable human qualities. An orchid stands for integrity; bamboo represents resilience and hardiness; and a rock expresses strength and endurance. Together, they form a symbolic portrait of an ideal gentleman.
12. ORCHID_110223_163.JPG: Orchids in Chinese Medicine: In traditional Chinese medicine, the body is a small universe containing an array of opposing forces -- yin/yang, cold/warm, passive/active, and more. Medicines, often including plants and herbs, balance those oppositional forces. Orchids are essential ingredients in many Chinese medicines that are still used today. The oldest Chinese pharmaceutical text, Shen Nong's Materia Medica [Shen Nong bencoa jing], lists 364 plant, animal, and mineral substances and their medicinal properties. It includes orchids such as various Bletilla and Dendrobium species. Allegedly written by the mythical emperor Shen Nong (his name means "Divine Farmer") around 2800 BC, the book was actually composed during the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).
13. ORCHID_110223_168.JPG: Shen Nong tasing herbs, illustration from an herbal handbook, 18th-19th century
14. ORCHID_110223_172.JPG: Cymbidiums: For many centuries in China, cymbidiums were the most desirable orchids, prized especially for their delicate fragrance and gracefully arching leaves. Connoisseurs regarded the blossoms -- smaller and more subtly colored than the vivid varieties we are familiar with today -- as less important. The Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC) admired the cymbidium's gentle yet enveloping scent, which he compared to wise and virtuous men, whose good qualities influence others without being oppressive. Even today, many orchid-lovers in China esteem variegated leaf forms even more than the flowers.
15. ORCHID_110223_217.JPG: Chinese Scholar's Stone Educated Chinese gentlemen collected rocks that were eroded into unusual and interesting shapes. Called "scholar's stones" or "viewing stones," these objects bring nature into the home for peaceful and private contemplation.
16. ORCHID_110223_269.JPG: Ink Orchids, from album Landscapes, Flowers, and Birds Finger paintings by Luo Ping (1733-1799) China, Qing dynasty, 1780 (reproductions) One of a group of artists known as "the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou," Luo Ping dipped his fingers in ink to paint these orchids. On one page he wrote, "Fragrance is born from my fingers." On the other page, the inscription follows the contours of a leaf: "It is not because these leaves are so very dense and green, but when spring has come and cold is gone, its scent remains."
17. ORCHID_110223_285.JPG: Saving Tian-Ma: Tian-ma is the Chinese name for Gastrodia elata, an orchid species that in endangered in the wild. Because it requires the assistance of two fungi in order to thrive and is very sensitive to its environment, Gastroia elata is an extremely difficult orchid to cultivate. It is also an extremely important plant in traditional Chinese medicine, and its effectiveness in treating hypertension makes it valuable today. Despite the challenges, researchers in China are developing ways to cultivate Gastroia artificially in labs and greenhouses, using cloning and other techniques.
18. ORCHID_110223_286.JPG: Smithsonian Research: Orchids and Fungi: Many orchids need to interact with a friendly fungus in order to flourish. Scientists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Maryland are working to identify the specific fungi that various orchid species require. This research will help horticulturists to propagate and re-establish endangered orchids in their natural habitats.
19. ORCHID_110223_288.JPG: Good for What Ails You: Orchid remedies make use of dried flowers, leaves, roots, and/or tubers, and are usually consumed in the form of tea, soups, or food additives. Here are a few medicinal orchids: Shi-hu: Dendrobium species taken to cure "deficiencies in the yin," such as kidney disease and indigestion. This is the oldest and most widely used orchid treatment. Bai-ju: Uses Bietella striata ingested to stop bleeding. Tian-ma: Tubers or rhizomes of Gastrodia elata used to treat conditions such as dizziness, convulsions, and hypertension. Jin-xian-lian: Anoectochilus species taken to treat diseases such as pneumonia and nephritis. Shan-ci-gu: Cremastra appendiculata, an orchid known as the Chinese tulip, used to treat tonsillitis and cancer.
20. ORCHID_110223_326.JPG: Taiwan International Orchid Show: With its color, inventiveness, and floral abundance, the annual Taiwan International Orchid Show presents an awe-inspiring display. Imaginative plantings bring different orchid varieties together, creating stunning arrangements that give orchid-lovers new ways to view these unique plants.
21. ORCHID_110223_346.JPG: YOU be the judge! What makes an orchid a prizewinner? Orchid breeders have been creating hybrids for centuries, hoping to improve on nature by growing hardier and more beautiful plants. With 25,000 known species and over 100,000 hybrids, who decided which orchids are the best? The American Orchid Society (AOS) has created a judging system to determine which orchids display the finest qualities. Judges train for years to achieve the title of an accredited orchid judge. But you, too, can give your opinion. Study these flowers for color, form, and impact -- and cast your vote for Best in Show!
22. ORCHID_110223_442.JPG: Orchid Extravaganza: Today, the world of orchids is one of color and excitement. Orchid cultivation has become an international industry in which China and many other parts of Asia compete. Orchids that originated in all parts of the world are now grown in mass quantities in Asia. Leading the way is Taiwan, which in unrivaled in Phalaenopsis orchid cultivation and marketing. By making these blooms at once more extravagant and more available, Taiwan's orchid breeders have changed the way people around the world see orchids. The annual Taiwan International Orchid Show is an eye-dazzling spectacle of horticultural showmanship.
23. ORCHID_110223_446.JPG: Taiwan: Just a Holland is known for tulips, now Taiwan is known for its Phalaenopsis orchids. With a climate that ranges from subtropical to tropical, the island of Taiwan is an ideal habitat for orchids. Since 1980, it has used this advantage to become the world's leading cultivator and exporter of orchids -- specifically, the popular Phaaenopsis orchids (or "moth orchid"). And Taiwanese growers are constantly using new techniques to develop amazing new varieties. If you have purchased a Phalaenopsis orchid recently, it probably came from Taiwan.
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