Jane Hartley Fine Art

THE LADY & THE WARRIOR is about everlasting, eternal love.  Accompanying the image is the blessing, the legend, and the symbolism.

The Blessing:

To the lamp of love: may it burn brightest in the darkest hours, and never flicker in the winds of trial.

The Legend:

The Legend of the Lady & the Warrior

According to this Chinese legend, a beautiful and courageous woman, Lady Yee, was married to Hsiang Yu, a warrior with Herculean strength.  When Hsiang Yu led his troops into battle, Lady Yee chose to follow him.  She would stand by his side showing her devotion and support. During a long and arduous war, Hsiang's army was surrounded and defeat was imminent.  Lady Yee tried to boost his spirits and lift his sadness by dancing with his sword. 

The petals of the poppy flower reflect her spirit as she danced in the wind with the sword.  When her attempts to ease his sadness failed, Lady Yee committed suicide.  A cluster of poppies sprang in full bloom from her grave site, representing her strong and bright spirit.

The Symbolism:

In the decorative plate from Macao, the spirit of  Lady Yee, along with her lady-in-waiting, are depicted as they gather flowers.  The spirit of the great warrior, Hsiang Wu, is represented by the terra cotta statue.  The now famous clay army of more than 8000 life-size terra cotta figures of soldiers and horses was discovered in 1974 in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China after they were buried underground for more than 2200 years.  The Terracotta Army is now regarded as the Eighth Wonder of the World. The symbolism of the poppy flower is unique, for it has several meanings.  In this painting, the poppies at his feet symbolize the loyalty and faith between lovers.  Other meanings are associated with sleep and death. Dreaming of a bee flying away can symbolize death, as the bee is the soul; but if it flies into the mouth of the person, that person will come back to life.  The sprays of bittersweet symbolize fidelity, and repel evil.