The Plant Imagery in ci of Li Qingzhao

The thesis examines plant motifs with a main focus on the plum, lotus, osmanthus and chrysanthemum in the ci poetry of Li Qingzhao, a poetess of the Song dynasty. The individual chapters situate the author in the contemporary context, define the poetic genre of ci songs in general and briefly mention the genre of yongwu, and focus on the explanation and symbolism of the chosen plants in the Chinese literary and cultural context. The analysis of the selected songs focuses on the plant motifs reflecting the poet's personal life and its interpretation. Whether they replicate it, become Li's expression of herself, are personified, or are classifiable in the genre of yongwu. The thesis also seeks to map the most prominent floral motifs and their uses. Each chapter of the analysis discusses individual plants and their motivic significance. In the analysis of the plant motifs of the songs, the occurrence of references to Qu Yuan or to Tao Yuanming's chrysanthemum motif is also marginally charted. The thesis concludes with a summary of how the various plant motifs are used in Li Qingzhao's songs, in which time periods they are most common, and whether their use varies significantly. Key words: Li Qingzhao 李清照, plants 植物, ci poems 詞, plum tree 梅, lotus 蓮, osmanthus 桂, chrysanthemum 菊, Song dynasty 宋