Written by Ann Lin
Translated by Anne Scott
Featured image: Agemachi (Trefoil Knots), Tale of Genji: Chapter 47, Japan,
Edo period (1615–1868), about 1620. (Public domain)
A poetic season is around the corner. In many regions, the arrival of autumn overturns nature’s color palette, leaving a multihued landscape of orange, yellow, scarlet, and brown. Maple forests, vibrant at first and shriveled in the end, forecast both the advent and departure of autumn. The cultural significance of maple trees can hardly be overstated. Many poets in both the East and the West have eulogized maple leaves.
Canada, Land of the Maple Leaf
Maple trees grow in variety and abundance in Canada. From mid-September, hundreds of varieties of maple leaves spiral to the ground across Canada and the eastern United States, coloring the landscape crimson. In late autumn, Canada becomes a fairy-tale land, and the remaining maple foliage can prompt us to reminisce about the country’s history and culture.
The maple leaf has been long-recognized as the symbol of Canada and the national tree. Canadians’ fondness for it can be seen in the national flag, the national emblem, clothes, pennies, banknotes, and stamps. The center of the flag of Canada has an 11-pointed red maple leaf on a white background. The red and white symbolize hope and peace in Canadian culture, while the maple leaf represents the Canadian people.
The vibrancy and colorfulness of maple foliage correspond with the diversity of Canada’s population….
