White
Overview
White carries the most sharply divided reading in the tradition: it is the mourning colour, and it is also the colour of the unmarked, of the blank, and of clarity.
Meaning
White is the colour of Metal, of the west and of autumn — and the traditional colour of mourning.
Traditional Interpretation
Sources note that white as mourning is a specific convention, not a general gloom — the same colour appears in Buddhist contexts as the colour of the pure.
Related Concepts
FAQ
What does white symbolize in Chinese tradition?
White is the colour of Metal, of the west and of autumn — and the traditional colour of mourning. White carries the most sharply divided reading in the tradition: it is the mourning colour, and it is also the colour of the unmarked, of the blank, and of clarity.
Is white an auspicious color?
It depends on the setting rather than on the color alone. White is the colour of Metal, of the west and of autumn — and the traditional colour of mourning. The contradiction is real and unresolved: white is worn at funerals and is also the colour of undyed silk, and both readings were always live.
How is white read in Chinese tradition?
Sources note that white as mourning is a specific convention, not a general gloom — the same colour appears in Buddhist contexts as the colour of the pure. It is grouped under Metal (金) in the five-element system.
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