Li Bai once wrote a poem praising orchids:
Lonely orchids live in secluded gardens, and grass is a weed.
Although the sun shines, it is not the moon in high autumn.
First frost early, green dare not rest.
If there is no breeze, who will deliver the fragrance?
Bluegrass is a metaphor for a noble gentleman, starting with Qu Yuan. In Li Sao, there is a saying "I am full of joy". In China's traditional paintings, there are many people who take Lan as the theme, especially in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Orchid is a perennial herb. It is no accident that it has won the love of literati and painters in past dynasties without bright colors and stunning shapes. Plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum are collectively called "four gentlemen" by literati and painters. Plum's aloof, orchid's delicate fragrance, bamboo's firmness and chrysanthemum's cold tolerance all reflect the ideal personality of literati, and the "four gentlemen" are praised and described by literati and painters.
Compared with plum, bamboo and chrysanthemum, the shape of orchids is more concise and can be expressed with a few strokes. Calligraphy is wonderful, pen and ink are full of interest, and it can be achieved in a few strokes when it is popular.