In traditional flower arrangement, appreciating branches refers more to appreciating wood branches.

Among the woody branches, in addition to the unique varieties such as pine and willow, the one that most appeals to the aesthetic tastes of the Chinese people is probably the "sparse and slanting shadows" of the plum branches.

But for us in such cold places where plum trees cannot grow, we need to use other trees to achieve this state. Fortunately, the Changbai Mountain area is a mixed forest of red pine and broad-leaved trees with rich tree species, so there are always suitable ones.

You can pick plum branches, apricot branches, hawthorn branches and crabapple branches, and there will always be a scene of "sparse and slanting shadows" appearing before your eyes.

Especially on a clear and airy winter day, when there are no flowers, leaves or fruits.

In the Ming Dynasty, Yuan Hongdao wrote a poem because of the heavy snow in a certain year, which made the plum blossoms not blooming smoothly: "The trunk of the Gen tree is twisted and slanted, which makes the trellis high even without flowers."

The height of the tree is also high because of its flowerless shape, which is a sincere appreciation of plum blossoms. But on the other hand, the twisted and slanted woody branches that are similar to the posture and shape of plum blossoms naturally enhance the style in people's minds.

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The twisted and slanted branches, in concrete terms -

It is full of twists and turns, with overlapping rhythms;

There are different thicknesses and lengths;

It is strong and masculine, both above and below.

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Of course, the woody flowers used for flower arrangement are far more than just these. The gnarled pine and the gentle willow each have their own unique charm.