Also, one more notation about your fan and the cherry blossoms on it....The cherry blossom is Japan’s national flower and to this day has much meaning since it goes along with their belief in life. Considered a very delicate flower, it blooms for a very short time (appx a week) and is then gone. When in bloom the tree is glorious/breathtaking/gleaming/resplendent in full bloom. However, cherry blossoms are easily swept away with one strong wind - a fleeting beauty that suggests beauty, purity and transience. This concept ties in very deeply with the fundamental teachings of Buddhism that state all life is suffering and transitory. The Japanese have long held strong to the Buddhist belief of the transitory nature of life and it is very noble to not get too attached to a particular outcome or not become emotional because it will all pass in time.
To old-time samurai, there was no greater glory than to die on the battlefield like scattered cherry blossoms. Thus, the fallen cherry blossom is not taken lightly in Japanese symbolism and can represent a warrior or feminine beauty.....life and death.
The boats represent change. From a symbolism perspective here is the interesting story behind it: "This is a warning to people that things are always in a state of change. Thus, you must take that into account, and not depend on the old ways, or a way that may have worked in the past but is no longer valid.
This idiom/proverb comes from the following story:
A man was traveling in a boat across a river. With him, he carried a valuable and treasured sword. Along the way, the man became overwhelmed and intoxicated by the beautiful view, and accidentally dropped his prized sword into the river. Thinking quickly, he pulled out a knife, and marked on the rail of the boat where exactly he has lost his sword. When the boat arrived on the other side of the river, the man jumped out of the boat and searched for his sword right under where he'd made the mark. Of course, the boat had moved a great distance since he made the mark, and thus he could not find the sword. While this man may seem foolhardy, we have to take a great lesson from this parable: Circumstances change, so one should use methods that can handle the change. In modern China, this is used in business to mean that one should not depend on old business models for a changing market. This idiom dates back to the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC)."
Just thought this was interesting/fascinating. Think of the symbols we could put on fans in American...No...bet
ter not go there
