#Golden Orchid

[makingqueerhistory]

The Golden Orchid Society was a collection of organizations in South China that began during the Qing dynasty and existed from approximately 1644 to 1949 when they were banned because they were associated with an attempt to overthrow the Manchu Emperor. Over 300 years, however, they created an order of women who stood in solidarity with other women against heterosexual marriages that were oppressive at best and far too often abusive. While some of the women may have been heterosexual and avoided marriage for reasons unrelated to their sexuality, the association clearly made a space for members who were lesbians or bisexuals. Queer women found the safety and family in the Golden Orchid Society that their biological relatives had often never provided them.

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[sparrowswritingnest]

Kit Perry, aka Golden Orchid - Made in Picrew

[thebotanicalarcade]

n350_w1150 by Biodiversity Heritage Library Via Flickr: Collection des orchidées les plus remarquables de l'Archipel indien et du Japon,. Amsterdam,C. G. Sulpke,1858.. biodiversitylibrary.org/page/56968912

[queerasfact]

Ace awareness week: Golden Orchid Societies

Golden Orchid Societies were communities of women around the 19th and early 20th centuries in southern China who chose not to marry, or not to live with their husbands. Some Golden Orchid sisters had a solo wedding, showing their desire to remain independent from a husband. These women were known as "self-combed women", because they would dress their own hair before the ceremony, rather than having it combed by a married female relative, as was normal in a male-female marriage.

Some Golden Orchid sisters may have been asexual or aromantic. Others may have been women-loving-women, or had other reasons to avoid traditional marriage. Nonetheless, their history provides us with an insight into ace history, and what historical possibilities there have been for asexual people.

Check out our podcast to learn more

[Image: Liang Jieyun, 85, and Huang Li-e, 90, two of the last surviving Golden Orchid sisters. Tania Branigan for the Guardian]

[oakendesk]

book cover - The Flesh Of The Orchid - 1951

artist unknown

book cover - Soldiers' Daughters Never Cry - 1951

Rudolph Belarski

[lovertm]

flowers + berries pins by Occasionalish

[former-ancient-cookies]

Former Ancients Au- Chapter 1. The Day The World Went Dark.

This chapter will contain: descriptions of Gore, & character death!

Despite it only being twenty-nine years ago, in the eyes of the world it had been centuries since their heroes had died. The first had been Pure Vanilla cookie, crumbling at the hands of the herald of lies, Shadow milk cookie. As Light Enchantress sat on her throne, her foot tapping against the tile under her. Soon, one of her guards looked over and she asked, “How did the Ancient Cookies crumble?” Those words caught her off guard, Light Enchantress looked over, shock clearly painted on her expression as she replied, “Have you never heard the story?” Laurel cookie shook her head as she answered, “No, Ma’am…can you tell me the story?” With a heavy sigh, Light Enchantress sank down into her throne and she replied, “I suppose so” as she sat back up into her throne, she turned to face laurel cookie at her story began.

As White Lily stood around the silver tree, she stood alongside Gingerbrave, Wizard Cookie, Strawberry Cookie, and of course, Pure Vanilla cookie. As she stared at the monster who had burst out of the tree, she only had moments to react before she found herself in a void filled with blue eyes. Fear began to run through White Lily as she took one step forward, “Hello?” She called out. Soon, her call was answered when a voice replied, “What? Was that FOOL king’s magic not enough to stop me?” He mocked.

She quickly took a step back, unsure of how to even respond to Shadow Milk cookie. As white lily raised her staff in an attempt to summon some sort of magic, silver, metallic strings wrapped around White Lily’s staff, easily ripping it away from her. Shadow milk looked at the new guardian of the seal, an evil look in his eyes as he stepped closer, and closer to her. Upon reaching White Lily, he extended his hand and he asked, “I’ll make you a deal. If you can hit the target, I’ll let you, and all of your foolish friends go…” he paused, a grin growing as he looked at her with malice, “but if you miss, I get the souljam.”

White Lily hesitated, carefully thinking about her options, ‘I could take the deal…but that’s a terrible idea. It would be ignoring all the red flags around this situation. But if I don’t…who knows if I can escape this place?’ With a reluctant sigh, she shook his hand. As a wicked smile grew across Shadow Milk’s face, he stepped back, a large red and white target appearing. “I’ll be nice, you have THREE tries!” As white lily cookie raised her staff, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of doubt. She felt like her stomach was in knots, and that she could crumble at any moment. Reluctantly, she launched three large thorns at the target, each missing…almost purposefully. As the thorns flew across the void, she could…almost hear a series of worried voices calling her name. “White lily cookie!” One young voice screamed, “White Lily Cookie, please!” Pure Vanilla voice pleaded. As the void faded back to reality, she saw the three young cookies trying to hold her back, and her worried husband held by strings where the target was.

“Oh…” the tricksters voice rang out, “it seems you failed every attempt!” He laughed. Pure Vanilla’s face shifted to a look of horror as the strings around him began to constrict. White Lily gasped in horror as she rushed to her beloveds side as she desperately attempted to free him. However, with a quick tug of the strings, he was ripped into blueberry jam covered pieces. White Lily froze in horror, tears starting to stream down her face as she held Pure Vanilla’s souljam. Shadow milk appeared, taking slow steps to white Lily with an unreadable look in his eyes. Without a word, he took the souljam from her hands as he thanked her, “Thank you….” He began, “Thank you for being such a fool.” White Lily let out a shakey breath, her tears coming faster, and faster while the cookies around her screamed, “you’re…welcome.” She replied quietly as Gingerbrave desperately attempted to get her to flee with the rest of the group.

Within the brush of the faerie woods, a cookie dressed in traditional vanillian robes stood, a large wooden cane in her hands as horror consumed her expression. She backed up, tears streaming down her face in streams as she spoke, “Pure Vanilla Cookie?” Getting home for the cookie a was a blurr. The last thing she knew she had been stumbling through the woods in silent horror, now she stood at the docks of the Cacao kingdom where a young solider around her face stood. He gently held her hands, heat radiating from his dough to her frigid dough as he asked her, “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” White orchid nodded, her arms slowly moving to wrap around his arms as she softly told Burnt Caramel Cookie, “Yes…please, take me home.” With that said, he gave her a nod and he began to escort her back to the vanilla kingdom.

The weeks following were some of the lowest times crispia faced…losing a great man, a scholar, a father, it broke all to hear the news, especially his family and friends. In honor of the fallen king, the residents of the vanilla kingdom, and the remaining ancient heroes began to plant and place various things around his statue. Two notable items being an old, worn cloth from Black Raisin cookie, and a well taken care of Vanilla Orchid plant placed by white orchid cookie. However, one thought remained in the air…who would lead the kingdom? A small council was held within the kingdom, and days later, a conclusion was reached…White Orchid cookie would claim the title herself, ruling as the queen. However, with a council of the cookies in the kingdom and others to ensure everyone had a voice.

As days turned to weeks, and weeks quickly faded into years. It wasn’t long after the new vanilla kingdom’s founding that a strange illness spread across the frigid kingdom of the East. It started out as a thin, white fog that only gave those inflicted a cough, but it quickly got heavier, quickly causing illness and respiratory issues. The worst of it came after year three; and Dark Cacao decided something needed to be done. So he traveled to the land of Beast-Yeast with a small crew joining him.

None of them would have expected what fate held for them. In the first part of the battle, each soldier fell one, by one, by one, becoming nothing but crumbs on the floor of the Ivory Pagoda. After Mystic flour fled to the mountains, Dark Cacao followed. As he continued his journey, it only got harder, and harder to finish. As he persisted through the mountains, he met new kind faces…but he showed no interest in them. Upon reaching the summit, Dark Cacao pushed the doors open. As he stepped inside, he saw her, Mystic Flour cookie.

As Dark Cacao reached the center of the room, he raised his sword before speaking harshly, “Mystic Flour Cookie, Your time is up!” As he spoke, he swung the sword. Although, it didn’t phase Mystic Flour Cookie. She turned to look at him, her black eyes looking into his as she grabbed Dark Cacao, holding him up by the sword. “Don’t you want to see your friends, family again?” She asked in an apathetic tone. He faltered, almost hesitant to reply as Dark Cacao snapped, “Don’t you speak their names!” He swung back and fourth, finally releasing himself from Mystic flour’s grip as he tried to attack once more. As the fight raged on, soon dark cacao knelt on the ground. His sword was broken across the room, and he gripped his chest. Dark Cacao let out a rigid cough as a pale white color consumed his dough.

As Dark Cacao looked up at Mystic Flour, he extended his hand, weakling pleading with her, “Please…grant me one wish if you must slay me.” Mystic flour looked at him, her cold look persisting as she leaned down, her gold gaze meeting his own as she answered, “Fine, I will be honorable and grant you one last wish. What is it?” Dark cacao reached up, grabbing onto a part of Mystic Flour cookie’s clothes as he wheezed, “Please, send our crumbs to my kingdom.” With an annoyed look in her typically cold tone, she gave dark cacao a nod before raising her hand. Within seconds, she slammed her hand down, crumbling Dark Cacao under her grip. Within the month, five jars arrived to the steps of the Black Citadel. They were colorless, ceramic jars covered and wrapped by cloth. The cookie at the door carefully brought the jars inside, carrying them one, by one, to the throne room and setting them with the king. Soon, Dark Choco stood at the altar of the fallen, an arm around a count cookie next to him as they looked at the five jars. Custard Cookie III glanced up, a frown on his face as he asked Dark Choco, “are those the cookies who went to beast-yeast?” With a nod and a quiet grunt of acknowledgement, Dark Choco confirmed his son’s words.

Two years later, Golden cheese soon found herself at the end of the line, knelt before the great destroyer. She had watched her own guard, her own son, attempt to save her…but he had failed. Now, she would find himself back with him soon. She looked up at burning spice, fear painted in her eyes as her dough was nearly completely cracked in half. As she let out a pained wheeze she asked the god, “Please…if you must crumble me, please do so where my son is…” the great destroyer let out a laugh, a crazed look in his eyes as he laughed, “Fine, since you’re so close to death, I will grand that last wish, but don’t think of escaping, little bird!” With a point of his finger, nutmeg tiger cookie grabbed golden cheese as she began to drag her through the land of spice, back to the cliffs edge.

Upon arrival to the bottom of the cliff where a bird-shaped headdress and staff rested, golden cheese bowed her head. As burning spice let out a cruel laugh, he lifted his axe and soon, golden cheese too crumbled in the same spot as few, fearful Kulfi viewed.

When it was time for the next beast fight, it was a heavy battle filled with magic and trickery. It had been a heavy fight, Hollyberry had been managing well on her own up until that point with Pitaya dragon cookie by her side. However, the tides of battle quickly changed when the air filled with a strange, almost sugary green substance. Hollyberry paused, confusion spreading across her face as she looked over at Pitaya, “Pitaya…?” She asked them with worry in her tone. Pitaya looked over, their usually white and black eyes now black and pink as they began to hiss.

Hollyberry raised her shield, horror spreading across her face as she attempted to protect herself. Pitaya turned to face Hollyberry, anger clear in their expression as they growled, “White Lily cookie…” Hollyberry stopped, more confusion washing over her as she raised her shield as Pitaya attempted to strobe her down with a swipe of their claws, “Pitaya dragon cookie! I don’t know what you have with White Lily cookie but I am not her!” Swipe, after swipe, and burst of fire, after burst of fire. Soon, her shield broke in half and Hollyberry attempted to flee, however, Pitaya dragon lunged forward, an angry scream coming from them before they crumbled her, “You dare show your face after ssssstealing my legendary title!” As Pitaya took a chunk out of her dough, she held her shoulder as she attempted to flee to safety, however, she let out a pained grunt as she felt a painful feeling followed by a large sword crumbling her in two.

…

Three years after the last ancient was lost, a small council came together, a council of those who her originally helped with the plan to destroy crispia. Butterroll cookie stood, panic clear on his face as he told his team, “we need to bring the ancient cookies back! We can’t live like this anymore!” Another scientist looked up, concern on her face as she questioned, “what do you think we do…?” With a brief moment to pause the scientist soon answered, “We need to rebake the ancients.”

-

Authors note: I’m sorry if this feels rushed, it is slightly rushed since the ancients deaths wouldn’t change much from the canon, so I didn’t want to drag out the whole thing.

[petals-and-ink]

"I'll be working on some projects for now but if you have anything you want to talk about feel free to do so, I'm all ears!"

Vanilla orchid is now available for asks

[leniisreallycool]

"History

17th Century

During the Qing dynasty of South China, there was The Golden Orchid Society. For 300 years, beginning in the early 1640s, this order of women stood against marriage. For many women, these heterosexual unions were restrictive, thrust upon them, and abusive. The Golden Orchid Society stood in opposition to society's expectations of the time, welcoming with open arms any woman looking to avoid the normative life.

It was practice for married women in China to comb their hair a certain way to say they were not available, so the Golden Orchid Society created "self-combing women". These women would wear their hair just as married women would, and a ceremony would be held to celebrate this choice. This practice was used by women who did not wish to marry or have romantic/sexual partnerships. It is likely at least some of them held similar feelings about romance and partnerships as many modern day aros."

This brings me an immeasurable amount of joy

[ranatsume]

2.6.24

Cym. Isle 'Flamingo Three Lips'

[unityrain24]

THIS IS SO COOL!! i did not know about this!!

basically the article is talking about "the golden orchid society", a society of chinese lesbians/wlw who rejected heteronormativity from the 1600s-1900s, also some ace/aro and even cishet women who rejected the standard. very cool read!!

[lostintheuniverseslies]

A Quiet Little Seedling Plants

Chapter Ten

Cebu Blue Pothos

Begonia ‘Curly Fireflush’

Chinese Money Plant

Zebra Plant

Aglaonema Wishes

Alocasia ‘Dragon Scale'

Golden Jewel Orchid

Purple Passion

Golden Oxalis

Pothos (unspecified)

Marigolds

Calendulas

Gerbera Daisies

Celosia

Butterfly Weed

Cuphea

Previously: Chapter 1 Plants Chapter 2 Plants Chapter 5 Plants Chapter 7 Plants Chapter 8 Plants

Next: Chapter 11 Plants

[murderandcoffee]

why didn't anyone tell me that buying one plant is a slippery slope that leads to wanting to fill your entire house with plants (< was definitely told this would happen)

[delicioustarong]

This is a very old art I did back when episode 29 was just newly released

[queerasfact]

These two women are Liang Jieyun and Huang Li-e. Photographed in 2014, they were both zìshū nǚ ('self-combed women'), participants in a traditional practice in Guangdong, southern China, where women would declare their independence through a solo marriage ceremony. The term zìshū nǚ refers the way that these women would assert their independence by dressing their own hair before the ceremony, rather than having it combed by a married female relative.

Zìshū nǚ were often part of Golden Orchid Societies, communities of women who chose not to marry, or not to live with their husbands, and instead supported each other socially and financially. Many Golden Orchid groups lived together for their whole lives, and saved up to retire as a community.

We had were joined by Lazou from Nuances: Our Asian Stories to chat about all things queer Asian history, including Golden Orchid Societies, on our podcast this week. Check it out! Or you can listen to our whole episode on Golden Orchid Societies here.

[Image source: Tania Branigan for the Guardian]

[dead-dove-orchid]

Dearest little scholar, so foolish, so naïve~

You really thought I’d let you go?