Osmanthus Flower Deity August – 2 Legends of Fragrance & Loyalty
“Osmanthus blossoms fall from the moon palace, their heavenly fragrance drifts beyond the clouds.” As autumn breezes arrive, a delicate, sweet scent begins to fill the streets – the osmanthus flower (桂花, guì huā), the bloom of the eighth lunar month and the scent of mid‑autumn memories in the hearts of the Chinese people. Revered for its ethereal fragrance, osmanthus is often called “the finest flower of all.” The August osmanthus has two flower deities: Xu Hui (徐惠), a brilliant poet‑consort of the Tang dynasty known for her talent and courage to speak truth to power, and Lü Zhu (綠珠) – also known as the “Green Pearl” – a legendary beauty of the Western Jin dynasty who threw herself from a tower to preserve her loyalty and honour. One represents talent and integrity; the other, loyalty and unyielding spirit. This is the eighth article in our Twelve Flower Deities series. For a complete overview of all monthly flower deities, explore our Twelve Flower Deities guide.
Osmanthus Flower Deity August: The Fragrance of the Moon
Osmanthus fragrans, known as sweet olive or tea olive, is one of China's ten most celebrated traditional flowers, with a cultivation history of more than 2,500 years. According to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Osmanthus fragrans is an evergreen tree or shrub with strongly scented flowers, cultivated in China for about 2,500 years and still of importance there today. The flowers are widely used to flavour tea, wine and sweets, as well as an ingredient in herbal medicine. The city of Guilin (meaning 'forest of sweet osmanthus') is named after the numerous Osmanthus trees there. It is a popular street tree throughout the warmer parts of China, filling the air with scent on warm autumn evenings.
In Chinese culture, osmanthus carries extraordinarily rich auspicious meanings. The word “guì” (桂) is a homophone for “noble” or “wealthy” (贵), making osmanthus a symbol of honour, wealth and high social status.
Even more importantly, osmanthus is deeply connected to scholarly success and official advancement – the very core of the August flower deity’s spiritual significance. According to legend, the moon goddess Chang‑e herself would send down a sprig of osmanthus to candidates who achieved the highest level in the imperial examinations. The examinations were held in the eighth lunar month, when osmanthus flowers were in full bloom, so successfully passing the exams came to be poetically described as “plucking a branch of osmanthus from the moon” (蟾宫折桂) – a phrase still used today to wish students success in their studies and careers.
Osmanthus is also intimately connected with the moon and the Mid‑Autumn Festival. A well‑known Chinese legend tells of Wu Gang, a woodcutter who was punished by the gods and sent to the moon, where he was told that if he could fell a giant osmanthus tree, he would attain magical powers. Day after day, he swung his axe, but the tree had magical powers – the cleaving scars disappeared moments after each stroke. Because of this legend, osmanthus is often called the “tree of the moon”. To this day, during the Mid‑Autumn Festival, families gather to admire the full moon, eat mooncakes and drink osmanthus tea and osmanthus wine, enjoying the sweet fragrance as they celebrate reunion and togetherness.
Xu Hui – The Flower Deity of Talent and Integrity
Among the different versions of the August flower deity, one of the most cherished is Xu Hui (Xu Hui, 627–650 CE), a consort of Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty and a brilliant poet in her own right. According to Wikipedia, Xu Hui was a female Chinese poet, "the first of all women poets of the Tang, an individual scarcely even noted in traditional literary history... but the only one of the thirty-plus 'empresses and consorts'...given biographies in the official Tang histories to have any of her own writings quoted there." She is one of China's outstanding early female poets, and is believed to have written around one thousand poems, but only five survive today.
Xu Hui was a child prodigy. It is said that she could speak at just five months old, was reciting the Confucian Analects and the Book of Songs by age four, and could write poetry by the time she was eight. Her talent soon reached the imperial court, and Emperor Taizong summoned her to the palace, appointing her as a “Talented Lady” (才人, cairen), a fifth‑rank court lady. She was later promoted to the rank of “Replete of Mien” (充容, chōngróng), an imperial concubine of the upper second rank.
Unlike many palace ladies who simply sought the emperor‘s favour, Xu Hui was deeply well‑read and politically astute. In the later years of the Zhenguan era, after the death of Empress Zhangsun, Emperor Taizong began to show signs of extravagance and military over‑expansion. Xu Hui – following the example of the virtuous Empress Zhangsun – repeatedly submitted petitions to the throne, urging restraint and reasoned governance. When the emperor waged costly campaigns, she argued against the endless wars; when he built lavish palaces, she wrote, “a virtuous lord shares comfort with his people; a foolish lord seeks only his own pleasure.” Her words were principled, direct and compelling, and the emperor, though powerful, was deeply moved and rewarded her for her candour.
After Emperor Taizong‘s death, Xu Hui was so overcome with grief that she fell ill. She refused all medical treatment and wrote poems expressing her undying loyalty. She passed away the following year, at only twenty‑four years old. Emperor Gaozong posthumously honoured her as “Xianfei” (賢妃, Worthy Consort) and granted her the privilege of satellite burial within Taizong’s mausoleum, Zhaoling, a rare and exceptional honour.
Throughout her life, Xu Hui identified herself with the osmanthus. Her character – talented yet unassuming, principled yet gentle – perfectly matches the osmanthus flower: rich in fragrance but not showy, noble in quality but never arrogant. Because of this, the people came to honour her as the Flower Deity of August osmanthus, a symbol of talent, integrity and noble character.
For Western readers, Xu Hui‘s story may evoke Jane Austen – a woman of extraordinary literary talent and independent spirit who left her mark on a male‑dominated world.
Lü Zhu (Green Pearl) – The Flower Deity of Loyalty and Heroic Sacrifice
In another widely known tradition, the Flower Deity of August osmanthus is Lü Zhu (綠珠), also known as the “Green Pearl” – a legendary beauty of the Western Jin dynasty (265–316 CE) and the beloved concubine of the wealthy and cultivated aristocrat Shi Chong.
According to DBpedia, Lüzhu (also called Liang, died 300) was an Ancient Chinese dancer, singer and music teacher. She was bought by Shi Chong (249–300), an official of Emperor Wu of Jin, and became his concubine. She became famous for her artistry and beauty, as she entertained his guests as a singer, a flute player and a dancer. She also composed music, and made poetry into songs by composing music for it.
Lü Zhu was not only beautiful but also talented. Her story, as recounted in the Book of Jin, tells that when a representative from the Imperial court demanded to buy her, Shi Chong refused to sell. Shi Chong was then ordered to commit suicide, upon which Lüzhu herself committed suicide, choosing to preserve her honour and loyalty rather than fall into the hands of her enemy.
Her tragic death became a powerful symbol of loyalty and feminine virtue, and she was celebrated by poets for generations. The great Tang poet Du Mu wrote these famous lines on a visit to the ruins of the Golden Valley Garden: “The splendours of the past have scattered like fragrant dust; the running water has no heart, but spring grass grows green. At dusk, the east wind sighs like a mournful bird; falling petals are like that lady who leapt from the tower.” Poets such as Li Bai, Li Shangyin and many others also wrote about her, using the image of the “tower‑leaping lady” to express themes of loyalty, tragedy and the transience of beauty.
Lü Zhu‘s story – of unwavering loyalty, heroic sacrifice and the preservation of honour in the face of death – perfectly aligns with the character of the osmanthus flower: fragrant but not showy, noble but never arrogant, steadfast even in adversity. She represents loyalty, courage and unyielding dignity. For Western readers, her tale may remind one of the tragic heroines of Greek myth – women of virtue whose choices in the face of fate still move the heart after centuries.
Dual Blessings of the August Osmanthus Flower Deity
The two deities of the August osmanthus give this flower two complementary blessings:
- Scholarly success and talent – Through Xu Hui, the osmanthus blesses the learned and the wise. It is a symbol of passing examinations, gaining high rank and realising one‘s ambitions.
- Loyalty and unyielding spirit – Through Lü Zhu, the osmanthus reminds us to remain faithful to our principles, to stand firm in adversity, and to value honour above life itself.
Personality of August‑Born People
In Chinese folklore, those born in August (or the lunar month of osmanthus) are said to share the flower’s qualities:
- Talented and hard‑working – they are naturally intelligent but also studious, often achieving excellence in their chosen fields.
- Noble and principled – they have strong ethical values and are not easily corrupted by power or wealth.
- Subtle yet unforgettable – they may not seek the spotlight, but their presence is deeply felt and long remembered.
- Loyal and steadfast – they remain faithful to their friends and family, even in the hardest times.
If you or someone you love was born in August, an osmanthus necklace carries a quiet but powerful blessing – for success in examinations, for career advancement, and for a life of nobility and loyalty.
How to Wear the August Blessing
In our Twelve Flower Deities Collection, the August osmanthus pendant is handcrafted with a natural white chalcedony stone wrapped in a gold‑plated 925‑silver osmanthus blossom.
- Daily wear – a gentle reminder to stay grounded, work hard, and cultivate your inner talents.
- Mid‑Autumn Festival gift – a meaningful token for family and loved ones, symbolising reunion and harmony.
- Birthday gift – wishing the recipient a life of success, nobility and enduring loyalty.
Discover the Osmanthus Necklace – August Flower Deity or browse the full Twelve Flower Deities Collection to find your birth month flower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans) belongs to the Oleaceae (olive) family and is native to China. Its fragrance is sweet, rich and fruity, often compared to apricot or peach. The bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) belongs to the Lauraceae family, is native to the Mediterranean, and has a more pungent, herbaceous scent. The two are entirely different plants, despite sharing the character “guì” (桂) in their Chinese names.
Chinese folk traditions are diverse and vary by region and historical period. Xu Hui represents talent, integrity and the link to scholarly success, while Lü Zhu embodies loyalty, courage and the preservation of honour. Both are honoured, and both are authentic – they simply represent different facets of the osmanthus flower’s spirit.
This phrase (蟾宫折桂, chán gōng zhé guì) originated from the story of Xi Shen of the Jin dynasty, who compared himself to “a single branch of the osmanthus tree”. Because the imperial examinations were held in the eighth lunar month when osmanthus flowers were in full bloom, successfully passing the exams came to be poetically described as “plucking a branch of osmanthus from the moon”. Today, it is widely used to wish students and candidates success in examinations and careers, a meaning directly connected to our osmanthus jewellery.
Conclusion
August belongs to the osmanthus – a flower that does not compete for attention in spring but quietly fills the autumn air with a sweet, unforgettable fragrance. It reminds us that true talent does not need to shout, and noble character emits its own quiet fragrance. Whether you seek the blessing of academic and career success (like Xu Hui) or the courage to remain loyal to your principles (like Lü Zhu), the Osmanthus Flower Deity August watches over all who seek to lead a life of substance and meaning.
To discover the stories of the other eleven flower deities – from January‘s plum blossom to December’s narcissus – explore our Twelve Flower Deities guide.
When August‘s osmanthus fragrance fades, September’s chrysanthemum begins to bloom. Its Flower Deity carries a message of longevity and quiet dignity. Read the story of the September Flower Deity (coming soon).