Definition
香花 literally means 'fragrant flower', but in political discourse it has a specialized figurative meaning: an artistic or cultural work that is considered beneficial and uplifting to the masses, contrasted with 毒草 ('poisonous weed', i.e. harmful works). This usage was prominent in Mao-era China and still appears in official cultural criticism. Outside of this political context, it simply refers to any fragrant flower.
n.
fragrant flower(figurative, political) artistic or cultural work deemed beneficial to the masses
Examples
- 香花。Huāyuán li zhòng mǎn le gè zhǒng xiāng huā.The garden is full of all kinds of fragrant flowers.
- 香花。Zhè bù xiǎoshuō bèi pínglùnjiā chēng wéi xiāng huā.This novel was called a 'fragrant flower' by critics.
- ,香花。Zài wényì tǎolùn zhōng, rénmen cháng yòng xiāng huā hé dúcǎo lái qūfēn zuòpǐn de hǎo huài.In literary discussions, people often use 'fragrant flowers' and 'poisonous weeds' to distinguish good works from bad.
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