What the Chinese word for Ireland really means by Dr Liwei Zhu
Dr Liwei Zhu is a Lecturer in Chinese language and culture at TU Dublin.
Analysis: When you translate directly from Chinese into English, Ireland can mean 'love you Orchid'
Ireland, the name of the country, is translated into Chinese as 爱尔兰. The general principle of translating proper nouns from English to Chinese is to find words and phrases in Chinese with similar or identical pronunciations to the English and appropriate meanings. The English pronunciation of Ireland is ['aɪələnd]. The Pinyin of the Chinese rendering of爱尔兰is [Ài'ěrlán ]. Their sounds are quite similar.
The exact reason for this rendering is unknown but, if translating literally from the Chinese, rendering back to English, 爱尔兰 [Ài'ěrlán ] can mean Love You Orchid. As a result, 爱尔兰[Ài'ěrlán ] can convey the meaning through the lens of Chinese culture as: welcome to Ireland, a graceful and humble country, where you may become excellent. The following is a word-by-word explanation of 爱尔兰 [Ài'ěrlán ] and some extended reflection on Chinese culture.
爱Ài' means love in Chinese and the bottom part of 友 means friend or friendship. Chinese characters have two writing systems, simplified and traditional. 爱 is a simplified Chinese character and its counterpart in the traditional form is 愛. Comparing the two images, the simplified character does not have the horizontal line and 心 xīn, which means heart, in the center than the traditional version.
This suggests that when the ancient Chinese devised the word "愛Ài'", they first emphasized the inner dimension, i.e. that the center of love comes from the heart, which is usually hidden within. 尔 ěr in the traditional sense can mean: you, either singular or plural; this; that; or such. To compose a poetic and more sensible meaning for the three characters as a unit in the Chinese rendering of Ireland, the first rendering of 尔 ěr, "you" is chosen.
兰lán-Orchid, Ireland is indeed an orchid-loving nation and has 31 native species of orchid, while the EU is the number one orchid market in the world. Orchid may have different symbolic meaning in different culture. Since ancient times in China, the orchids have been regarded as a symbol of humility and nobility and is known as one of the "Four Gentlemen (四君子 Sì Jūnzǐ)" along with plum, bamboo and chrysanthemum.
Nature can be a means for Chinese to express emotions and thoughts. This is based on a naturalistic view of the unity of heaven and humanity in Chinese culture. Each flower of the Four Gentlemen symbolises some virtues according to their respective beauty, feature and growing characteristics and they may overlap. The plum blossom (梅花 Méihuā or 梅Méi) symbolizes perseverance and strength; the orchid (兰花 Lánhuā or 兰lán) humility and modesty; the bamboo (竹 Zhú) righteousness and integrity; the chrysanthemum (秋菊Qiūjú or 菊jú) little interest in worldly affairs.
Many virtuous features stand out when you take a closer study at the symbolism of orchid in Chinese culture. These include elegant and graceful from the appearance of orchid; persevering and resilient because orchids can grow in a valley, or rocky terrains, or challenging weather condition; pure and perfect because "its pristine and flawless petals are likened to moral integrity and a noble heart. It represents the pursuit of inner purity, spiritual growth and moral righteousness".
Rich in symbolism, orchids play an important role in Chinese literature and art. Chinese people love to plant them, paint them and sing and write poems about them. Confucius referred to the orchids as a symbol of perseverance and resilience as what a gentleman should cultivate and build regardless of challenging circumstances. "The orchid is born in a deep valley", he wrote, "and does not cease to be fragrant because no one is around; the gentleman should cultivate and establish virtues. He does not change his character for the sake of poverty".
Confucius also teaches the importance of a friend's circle for them to learn and improve by using orchids as a metaphor, "Living with good people is like entering a room full of orchids. If you stay there for a long time without smelling the fragrance, it is a sign that you are transformed by them. Living with bad people is like entering a store selling abalone. If you stay there for a long time without smelling the stench, you are transformed by them".
I'm aware that nowhere on earth is heaven, but this story may make you feel more pleasant about your life in Ireland, or even motivate you to come to Ireland and understand more about Chinese culture. Welcome to Ireland, where your life may grow with fragrance and beautiful virtues.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of TU Dublin.
This article was originally published on RTÉ Brainstorm.