 The flower was adopted as the National Flower of the Republic of China on July 21, 1964.The song likens the resilience of the plum blossom to that of the Chinese people, which was especially salient during the political conditions of the 1960s.The blossom is a symbol of resilience in the face of adversity, has three stamens symbolizing Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People, and five petals, which represent the five branches of the government.