Antique Chinese and Japanese Porcelain collector's help and info page

GLOSSARY

Narcissus (Winter sweet)

Narcissus (shuixian 水仙) known to the Chinese as shuixian (literally, "water immortal"), symbolizes good fortune and accomplishment. In China it blooms late winter or early spring and for this reason became a beloved flower of Chinese New Year. Because the Chinese name for narcissus contains the character for "immortal" (xian), this flower also symbolizes long life.

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