Zodiacrune

Indigo

ColorsElement: Water 水

Overview

The saying that indigo comes from the plant but is bluer than it is one of the tradition's standard images for a student surpassing a teacher. That proverb carries more weight than the colour itself.

Meaning

Indigo is the traditional blue dye, and the proverbial source for the idea that something can exceed its origin.

Traditional Interpretation

Sources treat indigo as the everyday blue of plain cloth — the colour of common dress rather than of ceremony.

Related Concepts

Qing (Blue-Green)
Qing is the traditional colour category covering blue, green and black-green — a single term where modern English uses three.
Blue
Blue in the modern sense maps awkwardly onto the traditional palette, where it falls inside qing — the reading depends on which traditional term is behind it.
Black
Black is the colour of Water, of the north and of winter — associated with the deepest and the unlit.
Water
Depth, and the intelligence of going around.

FAQ

What does indigo symbolize in Chinese tradition?

Indigo is the traditional blue dye, and the proverbial source for the idea that something can exceed its origin. The saying that indigo comes from the plant but is bluer than it is one of the tradition's standard images for a student surpassing a teacher. That proverb carries more weight than the colour itself.

Is indigo an auspicious color?

It depends on the setting rather than on the color alone. Indigo is the traditional blue dye, and the proverbial source for the idea that something can exceed its origin. The proverb is the operative association: indigo's symbolic role in the tradition is mostly as an example in an argument about improvement.

How is indigo read in Chinese tradition?

Sources treat indigo as the everyday blue of plain cloth — the colour of common dress rather than of ceremony. It is grouped under Water (水) in the five-element system.

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