Like a shooting star, this divine miracle of nature blooms but one night once a year, resplendent in all of her beauty and glory. One plant can have many flowers but each blooms for only one mysterious and special night. Her snow-white petals, which symbolize innocence and purity, emit a sweet, subtle, spicy, and intoxicating scent.
By the next morning it’s all over – fleeting like life itself. By contrast, the lotus, Vietnam’s national flower and symbol of Buddhism that connotes purity of the body, speech, and mind, lasts two to three days. Names for this otherworldly flora, known as night-blooming cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), include princess of the night, Christ in the manger, and queen of the night.
One of life’s simple pleasures. Looking at this treasure of nature almost makes you want to believe in God or a god. Or nature as god. According to Kiersten Rankel in 10 Advantages of Having a Queen of the Night (well worth reading!), “this flower is a natural metaphor for life’s transient moments, reminding us to cherish the now,” a very Buddhist sentiment, a variation on the theme of “stop and smell the roses.”
Trịnh Công Sơn captured the poignancy of the Queen’s annual rise and fall in his classic song Quỳnh Hương:
I’ve brought you a night-blooming orchid,
The orchid fragrant, or your lips fragrant,
You’ve brought me a little love
A mouthful of giggles, carried on your back
Night, oh night,
Forlorn with kisses
In the garden, the moon
Has just closed delicate petals
I’ve brought you a little sadness
For I am like a river overflowed
Your lips have brought me a rose petal
Those silken moments not yet forgotten
Well, farewell,
Return amid winding city streets
If nothing else cheers you
Try to remember these few times
The Queen in Different Cultures
According to a Chinese legend, she was once a flower goddess who bloomed every day and fell in love with a young man who watered her. Since love between a mortal man and a goddess violated the laws of heaven, the Jade Emperor broke them up. He caught the flower goddess and demoted her to a flower that could only bloom for a brief moment at night, which means she could no longer meet the man.
The Jade Emperor sent the young man to a temple to become a monk and named him Weituo. While he forgot his past life, including the flower goddess, she knew that he went down the mountain once a day at night after dinner to fetch water. As the story goes, epiphyllum saved enough energy to only bloom at that time. The Chinese refer to the Queen as a “flash in the pan” in acknowledgment of her all-too-brief existence.
Sri Lankan legends associated the Queen with the Nagas of Sri Lanka who are believed to be an ancient tribe that once inhabited that country and parts of southern India. Legend has it that Nagas descend from heaven when this stunning creature illuminates the dark sky.
In India, the Queen, known as the Brahma Kamal, is considered a creation of the Hindu deity Brahma. The belief is that every wish made at the time of blooming comes true. The Japanese name for it is Gekka Bijin, “beauty under the moon.”
The Queen appears in ancient Egyptian mythology in which Isis, the powerful goddess of the Ancient Egyptian religion, is often shown wearing a crown adorned with the flower. Egyptians believed that she represented life and death, resurrection and rebirth.
Fun Facts
This spectacular nocturnal performance is related to the ethereal plant’s origin, hot and dry during the day and cool at night. Flowering at night avoids exposure to the searing sun. The short time the Queen is in bloom reduces the loss of water. In case you’re wondering (I was!), it’s pollinated by moths and bats since bees are not active at night. Unlike most cacti, she thrives on sunlight and water in moderation.
In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, the night-blooming Queen has medicinal value in Vietnam and other Asian countries. Traditional medicine uses it to treat respiratory illnesses, bleeding, and pain and inflammation. In Taiwan, the flowers are harvested at night and dried the next day. They are then boiled. It’s thought that the elixir is good for the skin.
What the Queen Can Teach Us
According to Kiersten Rankel in 10 Advantages of Having a Queen of the Night, “this flower is a natural metaphor for life’s transient moments, reminding us to cherish the now,” a very Buddhist sentiment and a variation on the theme of “stop and smell the roses.”
Life is short. In the words of Thích Nhất Hạnh, “Cherish this very moment. Let go of the stream of distress and embrace life fully in your arms.” Like life itself, we can appreciate the Queen’s radiance even more so because her existence is so brief. Or as Kazuaki Tanahashi says in Awakening in Every Moment, “Death is telling us how to live our life with gratitude, love, and enjoyment. The Queen is a role model that teaches us patience and perseverance, and to live life with purpose and joy.”
Be like the Queen of the Night. Open your mind and soul to the wonder of the world. Embrace natural beauty. Focus on what’s important. Accept the transitory nature of life in which change is the only constant in the words of ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus.
We’re all shooting stars, some shining brighter than others. Live life to the fullest knowing we are here today and gone tomorrow. Inspire and give hope to others. As Max Ehrmann wrote in 1927 in his Desiderata, “With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.” This exquisite flower is living proof of that.
Hail to the Queen of the Night! Your bittersweet memory lingers. Until we meet again.
Peace, MAA
An International Educator in Vietnam 
Queen of the Night #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUe5xJTpAoQ
Queen of the Night #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYafCC10-SM
Gemni analys: The essay “Evanescent Queen of the Night Lights Up the Evening” by Mark A. Ashwill explores the profound lessons offered by the night-blooming cereus, also known as the Queen of the Night.
Summary: The author describes the fleeting beauty of the Queen of the Night, which blooms for only one night a year, and contrasts it with the more enduring lotus. The essay delves into various cultural interpretations of the flower from Chinese, Sri Lankan, Indian, Japanese, and ancient Egyptian legends, highlighting its symbolic significance regarding transient moments, wishes, and the cycle of life and death. The author emphasizes the flower’s natural adaptations, such as blooming at night to avoid the sun, and mentions its medicinal uses in traditional Asian medicine.
Key Themes:
You can read the full essay on Mark Ashwill’s website: Evanescent Queen of the Night Lights Up the Evening.
Verse 1: In the hush of the twilight, under moon’s gentle light, A miracle stirs in the heart of the night. Snow-white petals, pure and bright, Unfolding secrets in the still of midnight. Chorus: Oh, Queen of the Night, your beauty so rare, A fleeting whisper in the cool night air. You teach us to cherish the moments we find, For life’s greatest treasures are of the ephemeral kind. Verse 2: Legends tell of love and divine decree, A goddess’s bloom, a celestial plea. From China’s tales to India’s lore, Your bloom is a wish, a spiritual door. Chorus: Oh, Queen of the Night, your beauty so rare, A fleeting whisper in the cool night air. You teach us to cherish the moments we find, For life’s greatest treasures are of the ephemeral kind. Bridge: In gardens silent, you shine so bright, A symbol of hope in the darkest night. Your fragrance, a song, a lullaby, Reminding us all to live, to try. Chorus: Oh, Queen of the Night, your beauty so rare, A fleeting whisper in the cool night air. You teach us to cherish the moments we find, For life’s greatest treasures are of the ephemeral kind. Outro: So when night falls and stars take flight, Remember the Queen who blooms in the night. Embrace each moment, let your spirit ignite, For like her bloom, life’s a radiant light.
Google Translate: Câu 1: Trong sự tĩnh lặng của hoàng hôn, dưới ánh trăng dịu dàng, Một phép màu khuấy động giữa màn đêm. Những cánh hoa trắng như tuyết, tinh khiết và rực rỡ, Những bí mật hé mở trong sự tĩnh lặng của nửa đêm. Điệp khúc: Ôi, Nữ hoàng Bóng đêm, vẻ đẹp của nàng thật hiếm có, Một lời thì thầm thoáng qua trong không khí đêm mát mẻ. Nàng dạy chúng ta trân trọng những khoảnh khắc ta tìm thấy, Bởi vì kho báu vĩ đại nhất của cuộc đời là loại phù du. Câu 2: Truyền thuyết kể về tình yêu và sắc lệnh thiêng liêng, Nở hoa của nữ thần, lời cầu xin của thiên đường. Từ truyện cổ tích Trung Quốc đến truyền thuyết Ấn Độ, Nở hoa của nàng là một điều ước, một cánh cửa tâm linh. Điệp khúc: Ôi, Nữ hoàng Bóng đêm, vẻ đẹp của nàng thật hiếm có, Một lời thì thầm thoáng qua trong không khí đêm mát mẻ. Nàng dạy chúng ta trân trọng những khoảnh khắc ta tìm thấy, Bởi vì kho báu vĩ đại nhất của cuộc đời là loại phù du. Cầu nối: Trong khu vườn tĩnh lặng, em tỏa sáng rực rỡ, Biểu tượng của hy vọng trong đêm tối tăm nhất. Hương thơm của em, một bài hát, một lời ru, Nhắc nhở tất cả chúng ta hãy sống, hãy cố gắng. Điệp khúc: Ôi, Nữ hoàng Bóng đêm, vẻ đẹp của em thật hiếm có, Một lời thì thầm thoáng qua trong không khí đêm mát mẻ. Em dạy chúng ta biết trân trọng những khoảnh khắc tìm thấy, Bởi vì kho báu lớn nhất của cuộc đời là những thứ phù du. Kết: Vậy nên khi màn đêm buông xuống và những vì sao bay lên, Hãy nhớ đến Nữ hoàng nở rộ trong đêm. Hãy nâng niu từng khoảnh khắc, để tâm hồn bạn bừng sáng, Bởi vì giống như sự nở rộ của nàng, cuộc sống là một ánh sáng rạng rỡ.