Dragons

Dragons symbolize wisdom and peace. They counsel Xingyin to stop the war between the Demon Realm and the Celestial Kingdom, and they save her from being kidnapped. They tell her if she uses their pearls for war, they will die, yet they give them to her anyways. This symbol of the dragons representing peace goes to the very core of their existence, because if the dragons are used for violence they will die.

Osmanthus

Osmanthus symbolizes Xingyin’s mother and her home. In the opening of the novel, the osmanthus forest surrounding the Pure Light Palace is described in great detail and is central to Xingyin’s discovery of her own magic and the secrets of her mother. Osmanthus is Xingyin’s favorite tea due to this, and it shows up in the novel at pivotal moments where Xingyin chooses her mother and her home over...