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Old 12-31-2008, 09:56 AM   #1
Nicholas Eschenbruch
Dojo: TV Denzlingen
Location: Freiburg
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 323
Germany
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Plum blossom questions

Hi everybody,

I dont know Japanese and would appreciate some help in cultural and linguistic matters:

I have for some time been intrigued by the notion of plum blossom in Zen, e.g. in Dogen's Shobogenzo. John Steven's „Secret Teachings of Aikido" quotes O-Sensei as referring to plum blossom as well, I seem to remember, and it has some biographical relevance in my aikido training.

So here are my questions:

The Japanese word for plum seems to be "baike"? Which is the kanji? And the word and kanji for blossom?

Would it make sense in Japanese to name an aikido dojo „Plum Blossom Dojo", or would that have political, social or erotic double meanings one should be aware of, or even rather avoid? (I am thinking of the sakura kai or the like)

Does anybody know what the actual biological plum referred to in the Zen tradition is? Same as ours? Different Asian type? Anybody know its Latin name?

Thanks a lot for the help, and best wishes for your life and training in 2009

Nicholas
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Old 12-31-2008, 10:16 AM   #2
Ron Tisdale
Dojo: Doshinkan dojo in Roxborough, Pa
Location: Phila. Pa
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,615
United_States
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Re: Plum blossom questions

Look up references to sho, chiku, bai. From John Steven's perspective as he told it to me, the bai refers to the plum flower as it blossoms...think of the fingers of the hand extending with ki.

Or so I remember it, anyway...

Best,
Ron

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 12-31-2008, 10:34 AM   #3
Erick Mead
 
Erick Mead's Avatar
Dojo: Big Green Drum (W. Florida Aikikai)
Location: West Florida
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,619
United_States
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Re: Plum blossom questions

Quote:
Nicholas Eschenbruch wrote: View Post
O-Sensei as referring to plum blossom as well, I seem to remember, and it has some biographical relevance in my aikido training.

So here are my questions:

The Japanese word for plum seems to be "baike"? Which is the kanji? And the word and kanji for blossom?
梅暦umegoyomi (lit. "plum calendar" for plum blossoms as a sign of impending spring; or 寒梅 kanbai Lit. "cold plum" referring to the tree that does the blossoming in winter.

Quote:
Nicholas Eschenbruch wrote: View Post
Does anybody know what the actual biological plum referred to in the Zen tradition is? Same as ours? Different Asian type? Anybody know its Latin name?
More like an apricot than the red or black plum we get in the States. Prunus mume.

Cordially,

Erick Mead
一隻狗可久里馬房但他也不是馬的.
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Old 12-31-2008, 10:52 AM   #4
Nicholas Eschenbruch
Dojo: TV Denzlingen
Location: Freiburg
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 323
Germany
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Re: Plum blossom questions

Ron, Erick,
thank you very much, these are useful hints and I will follow them up.

Best

N
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Old 02-21-2009, 02:16 PM   #5
JohnSeavitt
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 35
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Re: Plum blossom questions

There's also ~plum blossom as:

此花 (konohana)
好文木 (koubunboku)
花の兄 (hana no ani)

John
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Old 02-22-2009, 01:37 AM   #6
Charles Hill
Dojo: Numazu Aikikai/Aikikai Honbu Dojo
Location: Three Lakes WI/ Mishima Japan
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 837
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Re: Plum blossom questions

Ahhh, they are blooming right now, here at the foot of Mt. Fuji. A most wonderful smell!
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