The Three Friends of Winter: What Plants Teach Us About Chinese Character

Do you know how much Chinese people love using plants to describe human personality?

You might have heard of the “Four Gentlemen among Flowers” (花中四君子 – see our other video), but there is another famous trio in Chinese culture known as the “Three Friends of Winter” (歲寒三友 – Suì hán sān yǒu).

In Chinese, 歲 (suì) means year, 寒 (hán) means cold, and 三友 (sān yǒu) means three friends. Together, they refer to three specific plants that thrive during the coldest time of the year: Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossom.

While other plants wither in the harsh winter, these three endure. For centuries, Chinese scholars have looked to them not just as flora, but as moral teachers representing the noble character of a Junzi (noble person).

Here is what each “friend” represents.

1. Pine (松 – Sōng)

The pine tree is a symbol of endurance and loyalty. Because pine trees do not shed their leaves and remain green all year round, they represent a person who is firm, resilient, and sticks to their principles no matter how “cold” or difficult the situation gets.

In The Analects of Confucius, there is a famous line:

「歲寒，然後知松柏之後凋也。」suìhán, ránhòu zhī sōngbǎi zhīhòu diāo yě. “Only when the year turns cold do we realize that pine and cypress are the last to fade.”

Pro Tip: Be careful with your tones! 松 (Sōng) is the first tone. If you say it with a third tone, you might accidentally say 松鼠 (Sōngshǔ), which means squirrel! 🐿️

2. Bamboo (竹 – Zhú)

Chinese people have always admired bamboo for its graceful, upright appearance. It grows fast but stays silent, symbolizing someone who is unbending and proud, yet elegant.

If you look closely at bamboo, you can see its moral philosophy:

• The hollow center represents humility (having space in one’s heart to learn).
• The distinct joints represent integrity and moral backbone (氣節).

The famous Song dynasty poet Su Shi (蘇軾) loved bamboo so much that he famously said: “One can live without meat, but not without bamboo.” To him, living without bamboo made a person “vulgar” or lacking in taste!

3. Plum Blossom (梅 – Méi)

The plum blossom is the first flower to bloom in the freezing cold. The colder it gets, the more beautifully it opens. It represents perseverance, courage, and the dignity to grow in difficult conditions.

Historically, the poet Lin Bu (林逋) took this love for nature to the extreme. He lived a life of solitude, never marrying or becoming an official. Instead, he famously claimed to have “Plum blossom for a wife, and a crane for a child” (梅妻鶴子).

This phrase is still used today to describe a spiritual life of independence, where one values nature and inner peace over wealth and fame.

Summary

When a painter creates a piece featuring the Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossom, they aren’t just painting a landscape. They are making a statement: “I want to be a person with integrity, unafraid of hardship.”

We hope that no matter what difficulties you face, the spirit of the Three Friends of Winter accompanies you!

Want to learn the vocabulary from this post? Check out our curated deck on Skritter to master the characters for Pine, Bamboo, Plum, and more!