The Calamus

In traditional Chinese culture, the calamus is a wonder plant believed to be capable of preventing disease and driving away evil. Dubbed one of the "four elegant plants" along with the orchid, the daffodil and the chrysanthemum, the calamus has been greatly favored since ancient times.

Traditionally, in south China, every household would hang up the calamus on doors and windows during the Dragon Boat Festival. It is also a tradition to drink calamus wine on the festival, which is said to ward off diseases and evil. And the custom of burning calamus at summer and autumn nights for driving mosquitoes and insects away is still kept alive. With lush green leaves, the calamus is gracefully shaped, lending itself well to an indoor ornamental plant.

A bonsai creation involving the calamus not only has a poetic appeal, but also has an anti-pollution function. During their nighttime reading, ancient scholars would place a pot of calamus under the oil lamp. This is to prevent eye inflammation due to the smoke of the lamp, as the calamus is capable of absorbing granules in the air. In addition, the calamus is also an indispensable plant for adorning the ponds and lakes in traditional Chinese garden design.