Format: ORAL

Jordi Lpez-Pujol, Neus Nualart

Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Spain

It is well known that plant elements (flowers, leaves, fruits, but also whole plants) are a recurring motif in the different expressions of visual art (mainly painting, ceramics, sculpture and architecture) in most cultures and civilizations. In the case of East Asian countries (China, Korea and Japan) botanical motifs have an even more evident weight in their art, mainly due to the dominant religion and philosophy (mainly Taoism, Buddhism and Shintoism) in which nature and respect for it is a common thread of many of their principles. In this contribution we are focusing on the case of China, a place where artistic botany reached its maximum expression thanks, most likely, to the astonishing wealth of plant species and different landscapes that the country houses. This great diversity may have constituted a substrate and at the same time a catalyst for the rooting of beliefs and precepts in harmony with nature and, in turn, a source of inspiration for artists. Some examples of plant motifs used profusely in Chinese visual art will be presented, corresponding to various historical periods, including Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian symbols. These will be used as vehicles through which we will analyze Chinas flora from a scientific point of view, both in aspects of diversity and conservation. Finally, the possibilities offered by the resurgence of Buddhism and Taoism in China for the conservation of its biodiversity will be also discussed.