Rafflesia: Blooming Silently in Loneliness

The Flower Language of Rafflesia

Li Shangyin used the sentence "The daffodil wants to get on the carp, and the hibiscus sheds many red tears overnight" to compare the fragility and beauty of the people seeing off the traveler to the hibiscus flower. This is not only his romantic technique, but also a consensus on the impression of most flowers in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad. Flowers usually symbolize beauty, and their fragility and tenderness can also make people's hearts beat faster. In life, people often use phrases such as "fragrant grass and flowers" to praise the flowers, plants and trees in nature. Most flowers and plants are bright and beautiful in appearance, and the flower language and meaning that people give them are also beautiful and romantic.

But in the tropical forests of Sumatra, Indonesia, there grows a very peculiar plant. Its name is Rafflesia, and it is known as the world's largest flower. When it blooms, the smell is extremely stinky, much like a rotting corpse. Therefore it is also recognized as the stinkiest flower in the world.

Although the Rafflesia has a pungent smell and is not bright in appearance, it has a unique and shocking flower language: solitary and proud, blooming silently. The origin of the flower language of Rafflesia is also due to a sad yet inspiring and romantic legend.

The Legend of Rafflesia

Legend has it that there was a girl who smelled terrible and was so big that no one wanted to get close to her. One day, she met a handsome young man and fell in love with him, but she knew it was impossible for her to be with him. Beyond her expectation! When the young man saw her, he not only did not dislike her, but fell in love with her. They both liked each other and decided to get married. But the boy's parents disagreed, as they thought the girl was too smelly. But the young man said that he would not marry anyone else but her (the girl)! The girl couldn't bear to see the man she loved falling out with his parents, so she went to a small hill alone and silently blessed the man. She stood there for seven days and seven nights, and turned into a very large flower, which was still very smelly just like before. Later generations discovered it and were surprised to call it Rafflesia!

The Rafflesia is currently the largest flower in the world. It is locally called Bungapatma, which means "a flower as large and gorgeous as a lotus leaf." In the harsh living environment, the growth of Rafflesia is subjected to severe natural tests, but they can still produce huge flowers in the barren soil. Although it has a terrible smell and ordinary appearance, Rafflesia still withstood the test, ignoring the poor conditions given by nature, and silently blooming in the rainforest, standing proudly alone.