Bamboo is a plant that requires low maintenance, making it the best choice for an indoor plant. Bamboo, over the last few years, has become the most popular plant as it is considered to be a gentleman with perfect virtues.
Bamboo personifies living a life of simplicity; in Chinese culture, bamboo can be found everywhere; its abundance is because of how little care it requires for growth. In addition to this, the most revered folktale of Japan is “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,” in the story, a baby was inside a bamboo stalk. The bamboo cutter and his wife found her and raised her as their own. This basic premise shows people's perception of bamboo in Japanese culture.
All the above-mentioned things were just a small sneak peek of what this particular article holds. Here we are going to show you bamboo symbolism in different parts of the world, and also highlight how these cultures have embodied it currently.
Bamboo Symbolism In Indian Culture
When it comes to India, everything has to be bigger and better; in Vastu Shastra, which is an old Indian traditional Hindu system of architecture, bamboo is that one plant that is a symbol of prosperity, durability, and flexibility.
Bamboo plants in India also hold aesthetic appeal while their right placement helps in balancing an auspicious living environment. The vibrant green color and its upward growth are believed to attract positive energies such as prosperity.
Right Place To Put Bamboo Plants
The ideal placement of bamboo plants at your home should be in the east or southeast direction, it tends to thrive when placed in these particular directions as they are associated with the element of wood.
Besides this, putting bamboo plants in your living room or office space results in creativity along with financial prosperity.
Bamboo Symbolism in Chinese Culture
China has the highest number of bamboo plants all over the world. Bamboo has 400 species in China making it the kingdom of bamboo. China has been planting bamboo trees and using bamboo composite for more than 7,000 years now. It was used in making food, clothing, housing, transportation, musical instruments, and, in some cases, even weapons.
In Chinese culture, bamboo, plum blossoms, orchids, and chrysanthemums fall under the category of Four Gentlemen. According to this, each plant symbolizes a specific trait of an ideal person. So bamboo represents grace - it is flexible, humble, and simplistic. Likewise, it is also an emblem of modesty and mental strength; the deep roots of bamboo resemble steadiness.
Furthermore, these Four Gentlemen also signify four seasons in Chinese culture, in which bamboo symbolizes summers. Bamboo is also part of the Three Friends of Winter group, meaning these plants remain unwithered by the cold winds and harsh snowfall of Chinese winters.
Bamboo In Modern China
- Bamboo weaving: it is the traditional handcrafted process that revolves around manipulating bamboo fabric in different woven patterns in order to have both useful and creative objects.
- Bamboo furniture & utensils: you can find people using bamboo chopsticks, baskets, strainers, rice washing baskets, steamers, sleeping mats for summers, hats, lanterns, and more. Apart from this, you can also find furniture items like chairs, stools, beds, tea sets, and even an entire dining table made from bamboo.
- Bamboo in textile: it is the go-to choice for clothing brands who are in pursuit of leading the path of “eco-friendly” clothing. Bamboo is a great alternative to synthetic fibers, plastics, and clothing materials, which are made from other toxic fabrics that cannot be disposed of easily.
Bamboo Symbolism In Indonesian Culture
Indonesia has 17,000 islands, and one of them is Bali which has over 100 species of bamboo. Cultivation of bamboo in Bali and in some other small parts of Indonesia results in the country being third in terms of bamboo diversity and richness.
Balinese people use bamboo for construction, pulp, and even for manufacturing paper. In Bali bamboo represents one of the three integral living philosophies, specifically in rural populations. The lives of Balinese individuals revolve around bamboo from birth to death.
For example, at the time of birth, Balinese people use a bamboo knife to make a cut from which the baby comes out in this world. On the other hand, when life comes to an end, Balinese people use bamboo to transport the body of a departed soul to the cemetery.
Same Bamboo Species Different Use
Even for the same bamboo species, the parts that are used, along with the food preparation and application methods, are completely different. The use of bamboo in different regions of Bali depends on the local’s wisdom and their cultural values.
Hindu Folk Feast
Galungan is the biggest feast prepared by Balinese Hindus; this specific feast was prepared during the Nyepi and Kuningan days. This feast is celebrated twice a year; the same goes for Kuningan. Nyepi is a feast that comes only once every year.
The day before the celebration of Galungan, Hindus in Bali set Penjor, which is a decorative item made entirely from bamboo culms. It is a way to showcase gratitude and an offering to God.
Crops are used in the form of assortments and ornaments on the curved ends. People decorate it in the best way possible because it is one of the most crucial tools for the successful celebration of Galungan’s ceremony.
Relation With Medicine
The indigenous tribes in Bali were successful in finding eight different species that could be used in the form of medicine. In earlier times shoots of bamboo (bambu kuning) were used to heal liver problems. Likewise, ancient Balinese used the water of Dinochloa scandens as a medicinal eye wash and for tuberculosis.
How To Take Care Of A Bamboo Plant On Your Own?
You need to know that bamboo grows more rapidly than any other plant that we have on this earth. It can go upwards as fast as 47.6 inches in just a 24-hour period, which is something pretty common in the rainy season.
Still, you do need to take care of it so it can keep thriving in the best way possible given below are some of the tips that will allow you to take care of the bamboo plant:
Give Your Plant Plenty Of Light
Bamboo plants do look great with most of the indoor decor, but when you put them inside, there is one thing that they don’t get in order to grow, and that’s sunlight. As a result, it is recommended that you put your bamboo plant outside 2 times a week.
Also, we are not asking you to put it out in direct sunlight; you need to put it in a shade or in a room with big windows so natural light can easily come inside.
Clean The Growing Container
It doesn’t matter in which shell you are growing your bamboo plant; you have to clean the container every single month and provide fresh water every once a week to prevent algae from forming.
Filter Your Water
You can grow bamboo both in soil or in water, so if you are growing it in water, you need to go with filtered or distilled water; both of these will keep the roots of your bamboo plant in
healthy condition.
Do not go with tap water; it may contain chemicals that could potentially burn the stalks; whenever you are changing the water of your plant, always use clean water to refresh them.
Find The Right Container
Whenever you are buying a bamboo plant for your home it is going to come in some form of container. Over time, the plant will overgrow its original container; that’s the time you have to choose a new container for it that can actually sustain it.
For this, gently dig up the bamboo plant, wash off any pebbles that you had in the first place, and then transfer both things to a new container like a big pot, which could support the growth of a plant in years to come.
After the transfer of your bamboo, fill the water inside the pot up to the level that will make the roots sink; make sure not to drown your plant by putting water so high up that it wets the bamboo stalks.
Proper Drainage
Lastly, if you are growing a bamboo plant in soil, make sure there is a good drainage system. Bamboo plants grow better in moist soil, but if you add too much water to the soil, it can have a negative impact on the plant’s growth.
Future Of Bamboo Symbolism
Bamboo holds profound meaning in many cultures all over the globe; it is a symbol of strength while being flexible to change and adapt to new challenges.
It is the one plant that plays a significant role in a number of spiritual practices, further securing its symbolism of a timeless message of endurance that will keep on continuing centuries after centuries.
So the next time you see a bamboo plant on someone’s desk or at home, do take a moment to reflect on its meaning and get inspired from it to make the best of your journey.