Plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum are known as the "Four Gentlemen", which are four very symbolic plants in traditional Chinese culture.

Plum blossoms bloom in the twelfth lunar month in the cold winter, with snow on the top of the wind and floating in the dark fragrance. It is the most proud representative of the "Four Gentlemen". It does not compete with hundreds of flowers, but stands alone in the cold. Although the petals are fragile, they are wrapped in strong bones, so it is given the symbolic meaning of "tenacity" and "indomitable".

The praise of plums by literati of all generations focusses on its cold resistance. With the lonely blooming of plum blossoms, it is a metaphor for the character of a gentleman who sticks to his original heart in difficult times. Lu You's pen "Scattered into mud and grinded into dust, only fragrant as before", praises the loyalty of plum blossoms that even if they wither, the fragrance and temperament will not change. In traditional culture, Mei symbolises the unyielding style of literati in the face of power and difficulties, as well as the personality ethics of "poor and base cannot be moved, and the powerful cannot be subduced".

Orchids mostly grow in the deep stream of the valley. They are not known to outsiders, but silently exude a clear fragrance. They are known as the "gentleman among flowers". It does not have the graceful appearance of peonies, nor the beauty of peaches and plums. With a light and simple attitude, it interprets the character of "no one is not fragrant", symbolising the feelings of nobility, seclusion and humility.

Confucius once said, "Zhilan was born in the deep forest, and it is not fragrant because there is no one; a gentleman is a monk and virtuous, and he does not change his season because of poverty." He linked the growth habit of orchids with the way of self-cultivation of gentlemen. In "Li Sao", Qu Yuan repeatedly used orchids to express his pursuit of good character through the fragrance of orchids. In the eyes of literati, orchids represent an independent personality that does not seek fame and fortune, and does not flatter the world.

Bamboo is straight and slender, with knots, and the leaves are evergreen in all seasons. It is both strong and soft. It is the most vital and symbolic plant among the "Four Gentlemen". It "has a knot before it is unearthed". No matter where it grows, it always maintains an upright posture, symbolising integrity and integrity; while the bamboo stem is hollow, which is given the meaning of "humility and humility".

Zheng Banqiao painted and praised bamboo all his life. He wrote in "Bamboo Stone": "Thousands of mills and thousands of blows are still strong, no matter what the east, west, north and south wind", with the tenacity of bamboo in the wind and rain, he praised the character of a gentleman who adheres to the principle and is not moved by the outside world. The "section" and "humility" of bamboo are exactly the personality embodiment of "self-righteousness" and "humility and learning" promoted by Confucianism - it has not only the backbone of sticking to the bottom line, but also the heart to accommodate different opinions. In traditional culture, bamboo also symbolises the endless vitality and the persistent pursuit of ideals and beliefs.

Chrysanthemums bloom in the cold frost at the end of autumn. They do not compete with the spring flowers and are proud of their branches. Therefore, they are given the symbolic meaning of "indifferent to fame and fortune" and "secludence". Its petals are stretched and calm. Although the colour is not strong, it is calm, just like a gentleman who still maintains a calm mind after the vicissitudes of the world, and adheres to the inner peace in the hustle and bustle.

Tao Yuanming's famous sentence "picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely seeing the southern mountains" makes chrysanthemums a representative of the hidden culture, symbolising the detachment of the disturbance of the officialdom and the longing for pastoral life. The chrysanthemum in his pen is the natural beauty of "autumn chrysanthemums are beautiful, and the dew is beautiful", and it is also a spiritual portrayal of literati who do not go with the flow and are willing to be indifferent. In addition, the characteristics of chrysanthemum blooming in the cold and frost also symbolise the character of maintaining optimism and toughness in adversity. As Su Shi said, "Chrysanthemums still have proud frost branches". Even in the face of difficulties, they can stick to their original intentions and be calm.