In Chinese ink painting, the orchid became a favourite subject for artists. Its long, curved leaves could be painted with a few flowing brushstrokes, while the flowers were often rendered with delicate touches of ink.
The orchid was also admired for what it represented: an understated beauty and a quiet strength of character. In one painting by the Qing-dynasty artist Zheng Xie, orchids appear alongside bamboo, bringing two plants valued by Chinese scholars together in a single composition.