The ancient Egyptians were not the only ones engaging in flower arranging during ancient times. In fact, the Chinese were making flower arrangements as far back as 207 BCE to 220 CE, which is the Han era of ancient China. During this time, flowers were an integral component of religious teaching as well as medicine. In fact, the ancient Chinese classified and described various herbs based on their medicinal uses and flowers were an important part of religious ceremonies.
Those following Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian thinking all routinely placed cut flowers in their altars. This practice dates back to at least 618-906 CE. In addition to placing cut flowers in water at their temples, the ancient Chinese showed their love and appreciation for flowers in other ways as well. This includes creating paintings, carvings, and embroidered items with depictions of flowers. These paintings can be found on vases, plates, scrolls, and even silk. The carvings made by the ancient Chinese are made with many different types of materials, including wood, bronze, jade and ivory.
Since Buddhist teachings forbade the taking of a life of any form, religious practitioners worked sparingly when taking cuttings from plants. In addition, the flowers and leaves that were used to make basket arrangements were carefully selected based on their symbolic meaning. For example, the bamboo, the peach tree, and the pear tree were used to symbolize the importance of living a long life. Other flowers, such as the tiger lily, the pomegranate, and the orchid, symbolized fertility. The most honored of all flowers, however, was the peony. This flower, which is referred to as being known as “the king of flowers,” symbolized wealth, good fortune, and high position.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_flower_arrangement
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