#doula

Preface

I've decided this counts as related to my extensive and perverse Heian Era research because I did this for my fic.

My sources for this are nowhere near as rigorous as the previous parts because I couldn't find academic research papers that laid out the symbolism neatly. Flower language is very vibes based to begin with so feel free to correct any errors.

The anime also adds a lot of floral language not present in the manga to fit the themes. I currently don't have the energy to analyze all of that, so I'll be focusing on the flowers that appear in the JJK manga, as supplemented by the anime. (i.e. if the flowers are hard to discern in the manga, the anime will be used for clarity.)

I also will not be discussing birth flowers aka Hanakomon (花個紋) since I would like to compile it with other birth information such as Greek and Chinese zodiac signs.

The Language of Flowers

Hananokotoba (花言葉) is flower symbolism in Japanese media used to convey emotions without using words. It often goes missed by English-speakers since the flower meanings differ by culture. (Take this example of a blogger breaking down the flower usage in a single scene Darling in the Franxx or this other blogger for Grendizer. It's pretty neat!)

This likely stems from the Flower Sermon in Zen Buddhist tradition where the Buddha holds up a white flower and says nothing. Of the disciples present, only one understands the sermon and smiles. The flower is taken to represent the beauty in impermanence while the silent comprehension of the Buddha's teaching emphasizes that knowledge is passed mind-to-mind/face-to-face rather than studied. (Kind of the polar opposite of what I'm doing lmao.)

Gege however encourages the reader over analyze any and all flower symbolism by spelling it out with lilies.

Lilies (Lilium candidum) 百合 (Yuri)

White lilies do symbolize purity and innocence, but they are also a flower often used at funerals. This is why you can see them at Yuta's wake. When they're in frame with Yuka, they also read as a symbol for her innocence. With how these lilies either blurry or barely in frame, I take this as Yuta's death causing her to lose some of her innocence. Her mother steals the rest it, taking the ring, a symbol of the pure love Yuta had with Rika, while they're still in funeral garb.

After learning of Yuka's terminal brain cancer, these lilies also become a death flag. Tsumiki set that precedent. The same flowers used to symbolize her innocence and purity, are the same ones that could be used at her funeral.

(As an aside... In a different context lilies could indicate the characters are sapphic. Lilies are the Yuri (百合) flower. If the lilies were blooming while they were looking at a girl and blushing? Indisputable Yuri.)

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), 向日葵 (Himawari)

In Japan, sunflowers symbolize resilience, memory, regeneration after great loss. When Megumi recalls Tsumiki, she appears within a field of sunflowers as he tries to be strong about failing to save both her and Yuji. (Yuji "dies" immediately after this.)

Higuruma's association with the sunflower is a bit different than Tsumiki's. The Japanese lawyer badge looks like sunflower. Higuruma is behind and looking away from a wilted symbol of the legal system, making direct eye contact with the viewer. I take this as him looking over the corrupt legal system to prioritize the individual facing it, even though he is technically behind it. He also fits the motifs of resilience with how devoted he is to fighting for his "impossible case" clients.

Camellias (Camellia japonica) 椿 (Tsubaki) and Roses 薔薇 (Bara)

Camellias

Camellias are a symbol of love and devotion associated with samurai. They bloom in the winter and die dramatically—the entire flower head falling to the ground at once. This is likened to a samurai's head being severed. I don't think I need to spell out why this flower is associated with Gojo on the volume where he dies very suddenly on the most romantic day in Japan.

I will point out that this flower is concerning to see associated with Dabura. Yes, it indicates that Tomoe sees him with love (in a very sudden and all at once matter), but like the white lilies with Tsumiki and Yuka, this also reads like a death flag. He is a part of a warrior culture similar to the samurai's. Though this may also be referencing his cursed technique causing instant death.

Roses

The roses Dabura sees Tomoe with are a bit tricky to parse. Here's a list of some possible rose meanings.

White Rose: innocence, purity, devotion, peace

Pink Rose: gratitude, admiration

Red Rose: passion, romantic love

Orange Rose: fascination, desire

Peach Rose: sincerity, gratitude

Yellow Rose: platonic love, jealousy

Blue Rose: mysterious, unobtainable

Any Rose: beauty, love

As you can see, the meaning can change significantly depending on the color and I think that's the point. Dabura's feelings are hard to discern—he is generally peace-seeking and calm yet he's framed like Sukuna. Until this is animated or Gege specifies the colors it's anyone's guess. I lean towards, white, pink, and red rose meanings. This is set up like a romantic comedy bit.

In Hanami's case I'm not sure if the rose means anything. They are a curse and flower meanings are a human thing. It does get bigger as they learn to love fighting. And there is that one Juju Stroll where they're framed as Jogo's love interest.

I also want to point out how the wild rose (Rosa rubiginosa) can sometimes look like a Japanese camellia. I know Gege was sick when the Gojo cover was made, but I'd like to think that was intentional so you could see it as an expression of gratitude towards his character as well. ...Or an indication of his attraction to men since roses aka Bara (薔薇) are the mlm flower.

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) 蓮華 (Renge)

Lotuses are associated with rebirth due to their nyctinasty (blooming during the day and closing at night). The ability of its flower to remain clean despite growing in murky waters makes it a symbol of the Buddha's ability to rise above the filth and obtain enlightenment. If this scene is to be taken as Gojo comparing his students to the lotuses, he's calling them potential Buddhas—the cream of the crop rising to the top. If the flowers simultaneously apply to Gojo, his age regression in death tracks with the rebirth symbolism. (He could also be making a pun. Itadori, Fushiguro, and Nobara are all flower names.)

Though this seems pretty straightforward, this is another instance where the color in the anime could significantly change the meaning. That's not a problem however. This flower is the Buddhist flower in this extremely Buddhist manga. I see the grayscale lotus as Gege taking advantage of this ambiguity. Pretty much every possible color lotus symbolism could apply to this scene.

White Lotus: Bodhi/awakening, Womb Realm

Pink Lotus: supreme lotus, true lotus of the Buddha, Lotus Sutra (All beings have the potential to become Buddhas.)

Red Lotus: heart, love, compassion, Heart Sutra (Emptiness is Form.)

Blue Lotus: intelligence, knowledge, victory of spirit over wisdom

Purple Lotus: esoteric Buddhist sects, Noble Eightfold Path (The middle way as a path to enlightenment and the thing Mahoraga's Dharma Wheel represents.)

I also think these colors somewhat apply to Gojo's cursed technique, since Purple (Noble Eightfold Path) is the only thing that can kill Mahoraga (also Noble Eightfold Path). This of course has interesting implications for Sukuna who is resistant to Blue (intelligence/knowledge) but vulnerable to Red (love/compassion). I mean Gojo does hug Sukuna before destroying his domain with Red. I think you could argue Infinity's color is white, especially since it encases Gojo and keeps him safe like womb, but I'm pretty sure all of this is a stretch on my end.

This is not to be confused with Astragalus sinicus 蓮華草 (rengeso) or Chinese milk vetch. Its name in Japanese translates to lotus grass. This is because its flower looks like a lotus and grows in similar conditions to a lotus. Their meaning is totally different though. If you give someone an astragalus it means; when I'm with you, the pain softens. (Fun fact: These pants used as a green fertilizer in Japan. Massive fields of them are grown so they can die and become food for crops. The Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train goes by them!)

Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) 紫陽花 (Ajisai) and Morning Glories (Ipomoea nil) 朝顔 (Asago)

Hydrangeas

The Hydrangeaceae family is heavily associated with Buddhism in Japan.

The Hydrangea serrata (mountain hydrangea) is linked to the newborn Buddha. Unlike the poisonous Hydrangea macrophylla, the leaves of the Hydrangea serrata can be brewed into a super sweet tea called amacha. This tea is poured over images of the newborn Buddha to celebrate his birthday in observation of Hana Matsuri (aka the flower festival).

The Deutzia crenata (bridal wreath) is known as 卯の花 (unohana) in Japan. This translates to the flower of the rabbit, another symbol of Buddha. The month of Uzuki is specifically for this flower. Heian nobles were obsessed with it and would wear its colors during its bloom as a symbol of early summer and purity.

The specific species referenced by Sukuna is 紫陽花 (Ajisai) or the Hydrangea macrophylla which is commonly grown at temples. There's actually a temple dedicated to these flowers called Shifukuji Temple in Sendai—the place Yuji's domain mimics. (They're also associated with the Eight Immortals, one of which is a gender ambiguous patron of florists and gardeners.) Their color is determined by the pH of the soil they're grown in and so too does their meaning.

White Hydrangeas: arrogance, purity, grace

Pink Hydrangeas: love, heartfelt emotions

Blue Hydrangeas: apology, regret, gratitude

Purple Hydrangeas: royalty, desire to deeply understand

I think this is another instance of the grayscale being to Gege's advantage. Every meaning here could apply and I hope the anime uses all of them. Since I don't know the color, I would rather focus on the fact that the color of the flower is determined by where it is planted. The outcome of the flower is determined by where it is raised. As Sukuna dies, Yuji makes the case the that circumstances of one's birth determine how we wind up. Sukuna is the one that mentions the flowers are hydrangeas.

Morning Glories

Morning glories open in the morning and close in the afternoon, giving them the name "morning face" in Japanese. I had difficulty pining down their meaning since articles were more focused on how they got to Japan in the first place. They're symbols of summer for sure and apparently reference the fleeting beauty of a woman's face. Love, affection, gratitude, transience? Brief love and enduring love? These meanings aren't affected by the color.

You could write a whole essay on this. Someone already tried to. Do what you want with this info.

Death and Flowers

If you didn't notice the pattern, most of the characters associated with flowers die, almost die, or have some ability related to or directly referencing death. This seems to be intentional given that the first flowers in this series were given to a dying man.

We already know that the roses represent; white for innocence, purity, devotion, peace and peach for sincerity, gratitude.

Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) are usually given to mothers to show appreciation. When used for mourning, white carnations represent pure love and remembrance.

Forget-me-nots (Cynoglossum amabile) 忘れな草 (Wasurenagusa) represent "everlasting loyalty and love, particularly in the context of honoring ancestors."

I have called the yellow flowers Asteraceae because I cannot tell if they are supposed to be daisies, chrysanthemums, or black-eyed Susans. (If some flower enthusiast knows what they are, please help.)

Chrysanthemums 菊 (Kiku) are the unofficial flower of Japan. Yellow mums have a mix of meanings; longevity, rejuvenation, nobility (symbol of the imperial family), broken love.

Daises represent purity of the heart, honesty, sincerity.

Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) might represent resilience and encouragement. I could barely find any sources on their symbolism and the ones I did seemed dubious.

Regardless of the exact Asteraceae species, these flowers communicate appreciation and encouragement. When combined with the roses, and especially the carnations, this bouquet is not meant for strangers. Yuji is definitely lying when he says these are for the nurses and I get the feeling Wasuke knew that too.

Mourning and Flowers

In the manga, this is all we get for Yuji mourning Wasuke; 1 page for the cremation and 1 page for the wake.

Just like the hospital scene, it is impossible to tell what flowers have been placed here. This fits the theme of sorcerers not having the time to process their grief, with Gojo having Yuji eat the 2nd finger (his new sorcerer duty) after a brief apology.

The anime takes a significant deviation from this, showing the cremation in full. Up close and at a distance, we see Yuji collect his grandpa's bones and ashes out of the incinerator while Gojo quietly watches him.

I vastly prefer this version. Not only does this better emphasize the impact Wasuke's death had on Yuji, but is also better characterizes Gojo. Since most of Jujutsu Kaisen is the result of him not being able to mourn Geto's body properly, it's nice to see him making sure his students are allowed that.

Where the anime becomes outright superior to the manga is the finger feeding scene that follows.

I cannot overstate how much better Yuji literally eating his not-grandpa's remains in front of his grandpa's remains is. His grandpa who is more like a dad. His grandpa who is both a mom and a dad. Similar to his twin who replaced Uraume's mother and father.

The flowers used in this scene and at the gravestone are white Chrysanthemum × morifoliums, a common flower used at funerals. I cannot tell what the other flowers next to them are. (The adjacent gravestone has the same chrysanthemums, white lilies and forget-me-nots.)

The way the anime draws out mourning scenes compared to the manga is probably why I reacted so poorly to Gojo not getting one in the manga. Since base JJK (and now Modulo) opens on a funeral, I felt like it should've ended on one too. Yuji's mourning is interrupted by Jujutsu duties and he never gets to really confront it until the end of the series. To have a funeral for Gojo not interrupted by duty would've been a nice way to show how Jujutsu Society changed for the better. (I have a lot of confidence in the anime rectifying this.)

However, since Modulo is very clear about that ending not resolving systemic issues, I am no longer as bothered by this. The revolution died with Gojo, the structural changes were minimal, and now the new generation has to deal with the consequences. The cycles be cycling.

The Constant State of Mourning

CW: Brief Discussion of Suicide

All of the events in JJK occur because Gojo was denied the time to mourn Geto. Geto snaps because he was overworked after Riko's death. Toji kills Riko because he regresses as a person after his wife's death. Both base JJK and Modulo open on the protagonists experiencing a death they don't get to properly mourn.

Yuka has the ring taken before her grandpa is even buried, her own mom enforcing the Gojo Clan's will the second both her grandparents are dead. Tsurugi is told that same day what he wants is irrelevant. It safe to say the Gojo Clan is hardly different than the Zenin Clan. The same obsession with power and control exists, especially towards Yuka who has the use of her Shikigami banned outright. (Tbh it kind of feels like Gojo should've pulled a Maki and ganked his entire clan. They're even more controlling with Yuka than they were with him.)

Because these children are not given the space to mourn their grandparents on their own terms, it leads to them chasing after the same strength that thoroughly traumatized their caretakers in order to keep their memories alive. They want to become their grandparents—something that Yuta and Maki do not want for them. It is not a coincidence that Yuka and Tsurugi resemble their grandparents the most when they are near death.

Yuta and Maki failing to make the Gojo Clan a better place is not exactly their fault. No one in the base series had the framework to build a lasting community that could dismantle power structures without immense violence. Their failure to understand hierarchy itself as the main problem is why the Gojo Clan persists with a toxicity similar to the Zenins. Maki's regrets are the perfect microcosm of this.

(The meaning behind the reed has already been explained by someone else.)

The strength she gained gave her the power to enact change, but not the emotional bandwidth to deal with the resulting trauma. The very same minute she's crying over Mai's corpse she has to get up and fight to fulfill that final wish. Just like Yuji, she is denied the time to mourn Mai and she carries that with her until she dies.

Jujutsu Society does not give sorcerers the tools to process grief. It encourages them bury their feelings and pretend they're ok. If someone dies, you leave their corpse to someone else and are expected to carry on with your duties. Todo Aoi spells this out after Yuji loses Nobara and Nanami.

Though this helps Yuji get back on his feet for the moment, these are the words that probably cursed him the most. It made him think that stopping to mourn isn't something he's allowed to do. It taught him that the only way to process grief is to keep carrying on the wishes of the dead. This seems to have resulted in one of the most heartbreaking depictions of burnout I've ever seen.

In a different post, I theorized that Gojo's final speech to Yuji was indicative of Gojo fighting Sukuna as an act of suicide. Modulo has solidified that belief for me. Yuji appears to be in a similar state. However, there is no way out for him psychologically speaking. His body doesn't seem to age, and he doesn't believe in "the easy way out". We can see this in how he processes Nanami's death. A death that also occurred from burnout.

A lot of people were criticizing Modulo Yuji for not intervening sooner. He has been a sorcerer for 68 years, working and grieving for 68 years. In the same way Nanami became too burnt out to be a proper adult to Yuji in his final moments, adult Yuji is too burnt out to solve everyone's problems all the time. But he is still trying.

As you can see the soul research, the last physical thing given to him by his big brother, is quite literally kept next to his heart. And he doesn't just keep Choso's memory next to his heart, he keeps Choso's grief as well. He carries forward their little brothers in his body and the loss of Yuki despite not knowing them personally like Choso did. The messy way in which he is trying to resolve everything for everyone at the same time is Yuji fulfilling the duty he feels obligated to do as a sorcerer.

This final conversation with Sukuna marks a turning point in his character—the beginning of Yuji's apparent regression in Modulo. When he offers amnesty to Sukuna (death or containment) he is posed like The Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel (1847). Since this painting depicts Lucifer shortly after being kicked out of heaven, this indicates that Yuji is on his way to becoming the Fallen One like Sukuna.

With age Yuji has become quite jaded and lost many of his bonds. In return he has become the absolute strongest, far surpassing Sukuna and fulfilling Gojo's wish for Yuji to develop a strength all of his own. Going back to Mai's sacrifice for Maki, Yuji is no longer half-assed after enduring so many losses.

At the end of Invincible Season 1, a father who is nearly immortal and unfathomably powerful tires to convince his son to join him in subjugating the people he sees as beneath them. This father points out how fragile, short, and insignificant those people's lives are and how his son will outlive them all. If he chooses to stay a protector of those worthless lives, the father asks his son:

"What will you have after 500 years?"

"You, dad. ...I'd still have you."

If Yuji fulfills his grandfather's last wish for him to live a long life helping others, he will not have anyone with him when he dies due to his immortal body. The curse of his grandfather's twin is being realized. Sukuna is Wasuke and Wasuke is Sukuna by Jujutsu law of twins. Yuji begins and the ends the base series being cursed by his grandparents.

I can only hope that Modulo gives him a proper death instead of allowing him to go on suffering on the behalf of others. If only Sukuna had chosen to stay with Yuji. At least he'd have him.

Alien Funerals and Flowers

One of the things I have found most interesting about Modulo is how the Simurians developed similar flower language separate to humans. It's a subtle way to make their cultures feel every bit as rich and complex as humans they're being compared to.

When I see Doula posed and surrounded by flowers in an open casket, I wonder how this exact rite came to be.

Hibiscus flowers are typically fugacious—blooming for 1 day before withering. The Hibisus mutabilis 芙蓉 (Fuyou) is extra special, blooming white in the morning, becoming pink by noon, and ending the day as red, lasting several days before they die.

Though they have an obvious association with impermanence and fleeting beauty, their primary meaning in Japanese flower language is gentle. I don't think I need to explain why this fits Doula so well.

The other flowers are some kind of Asteraceae (daisies, chrysanthemums, or black-eyed Susans) whose color cannot be discerned. If I had to take a guess, I would assume they are white chrysanthemums.

...But this is assuming the aliens have the same flower language of Japan, which is highly unlikely. The meaning of flowers varies by region/time period and the Simurians seem to be an analogue for ancient Japan. If you didn't know, ancient Japanese culture was directly borrowing from ancient Chinese culture. This means it is possible that Simurian (and Heian Japan's) flower symbolism have more in common with ancient China's than modern Japan's, which could be a great set up for miscommunications between characters. Here are some examples of how different they can be.

Azalea: femininity, homesickness, longing, prosperity (China) vs impermanence, happiness, simplicity (Japan)

Iris: butterflies, protection, change (China) vs strength, clarity, kindness (Japan)

Lily: harmony, unity, marriage (China) vs purity, innocence, funerals (Japan)

Marigold: wealth, prosperity (China) vs jealousy, despair, grief (Japan)

Rose: perseverance, grace, vitality (China) vs love (Japan)

It makes me wonder if Dabura, a character who is constantly misunderstood by other characters, presented like Sukuna while being the biggest softie, has an additional layer of miscommunication going on with the roses.

Unknowns

These are flowers the anime should clarify. In the manga they're a bit too difficult for someone like me to discern.

I'm pretty sure the flowers used for Kamo's mother are carnations since they are the mother flower. However, their size and leaves resemble a hydrangea. Carnation heads are a bit smaller and their leaves are very thin. Perhaps it's a mix of those flowers.

The flowers used for Tsumiki's funeral are not high quality enough for me to analyze. They are also a part of the ending that was rushed due to Gege's hospitalization. I'm not even sure if the flowers are worth trying to discern since the consistency/logic is wonky for everything else in the final chapters.

Extras

I don't know how to end this neatly, so here are some research rabbit holes I went down.

Flower Research

Japanese flower meanings I found interesting while researching the other flowers.

Cherry Blossom (Prunus serrulata) 桜 (Sakura): beauty and mortality

Dandelion (Taraxum officinale) 蒲公英 (Tanpopo): courage, perseverance, because they can grown anywhere

Japanese Rowan/Mountain Ash (Sorbus commixta) 七竈 (Nanakamado): I'll watch over you.

Japanese Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) 定家葛(Teikakadzura): love, new beginnings

Ohio Spriderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) 露草色 (Murasaki Tsuyugusa): I respect you, but it's not love.

Red Hot Pokers/Torch Lily/Tritoma (Kniphofia): My heart aches thinking of you.

Shepard's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) 薺 (Nazuna): I give you my all.

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) 金魚草 (Kingyosou): talkative, meddler, busybody, noisy, annoying

Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) 藤 (Fuji): elegance, longevity, prosperity, love

Tree Research

Prompted by Takaba and Kenjaku discussing the story Momotaro.

The momo (桃) in momotaro means peach. It is the same kanji used in Nishimiya Momo's name. This caused me to realize there are a lot more flower/plant names in JJK than I initially thought and that I would need to make a separate post.

For example, even Sukuna is a hidden flower name. You see, kanji can be made up of other kanji getting squished together. Kanji that cannot be pulled apart into other kanji are called radicals. If you cut the name Sukuna (宿儺) apart into its radicals, particularly the exorcism kanji 儺, you can get the kanji 堇 for violet. (儺 -> 亻+堇+隹). I did this because Yorozu told me to and there is a very infamous Umineko puzzle that requires you to do this to solve it.

Anyways, Momotaro made me learn about the fruits momo (peach), sumomo (plum) and ume (plum/apricot?). While learning the differences between the plums, I then learned there are more plums—the Japanese Yew Plum, which has a deadly lookalike the Japanese Yew. Here is this listed out.

Peach (Prunus persica) 桃 (Momo): prosperity, protection, immortality, happy marriage, girls

Chinese/Japanese Plum (Prunus salicina) 李 (Sumomo): misunderstanding

Chinese Plum/Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume) 梅 (Ume): faithful, beauty, patience

Japanese Yew Plum (Cephalotaxus harringtonii) 犬榧 (inuyaga)

Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata): immortality

Yes, that Ume (梅) is in Uraume (裏梅). (There are many theories about this.) I think it fits their personality both symbolically and literally. If you didn't know, compared to the sumomo plum that sweetens with ripeness, the ume plum remains sour. And if eaten eaten unripe, the ume plum contains a toxin called amygdalin, which releases cyanide when consumed. Uraume is pretty, faithful, and a short-tempered sour puss. I leave you with images of them and the momo, sumomo, and ume blossoms.