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“The Green Banner” of the East in the Hands of Ivan Bunin

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.37816/2073‑9567‑2026‑80‑195‑209
  • УДК / UDC: 821.161.1Р.0
  • Publication Type: Research Article
  • For Citation:

    Yahyapour, M., Karimi‑Motahhar, Ja., Maltseva, T.V. “The Green Banner” of the East in the Hands of Ivan Bunin.” Vestnik slavianskikh kul’tur, vol. 80, 2026, pp. 195–209. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.37816/2073‑9567‑2026‑80‑195‑209 
  • Author 1: Marzieh Yahyapour
  • Information about the Author 1:

    Marzieh Yahyapour — PhD in Philology, Professor, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Tehran, Engelab Sq., Azar St., 16, 1417935840 Tehran,
    Islamic Republic of Iran.

    ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000‑0001‑8195‑6909 

    E‑mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Author 2: Janolah Karimi‑Motahhar
  • Information about the Author 2:

    Janolah Karimi‑Motahhar — PhD in Philology, Professor, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Tehran, Engelab Sq., Azar St., 16, 1417935840 Tehran,
    Islamic Republic of Iran.

    ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000‑0002‑6072‑5797

    E‑mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Author 3: Tatiana V. Maltseva
  • Information about the Author 3:

    Tatiana V. Maltseva — DSc in Philology, Professor, Pushkin Leningrad State University, Petersburg High., 10, 196605 St. Petersburg, Russia.

    ORCID ID:  https://orcid.org/0000‑0002‑8432‑4314 

    E‑mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Abstract: The present paper examines the symbolism of the color green in Eastern culture. Green is frequently used within symbolic systems and in cultural and historical contexts. The semantics of green are analyzed in three historical contexts: ancient Iranian culture, Islamic‑Iranian culture after the adoption of Islam, Sufism, and Persian literature (from Ferdowsi, Mawlana, Saadi, and Hafez to contemporary poets such as P. Etesami, M.Akhavan‑Sales, M.‑R. Shafi'i‑Kadkani, and others). The study established that with the adoption of Islam, the semantics of green expanded. It became a symbol of life, faith, and Iranian‑Islamic identity, firmly entrenched in religious rituals, art, and literature. The objective of this study is to comparatively trace the reception of green in foreign cultural environments. The object of comparison is the poems of I.A. Bunin, who showed a particular interest in Eastern culture and religion. Bunin's poems “The Green Banner” and “Descendants of the Prophet” serve as the basis for comparison. The aim of the paper is to examine the semantics of green in these discourses and the meaning of this color in Bunin's poems. The study highlights for the first time that the semantics of green in Bunin's poems draws on specific verses from the Quran, as well as on the symbolism of traditional images of the green banner and cypress. Bunin uses green in several ways: as the color of nature, a symbol of faith, collective awakening, and freedom. Bunin was able to convey the traditions of Islamic‑Iranian culture within the context of Russian poetry while preserving their ethical and spiritual content.
  • Keywords: Ivan Bunin, Persian poetry, Islamic‑Iranian culture, color symbolism, green, freedom, Saadi, cultural influence
  • Страницы / Pages: 195–209
  • Received: February 22, 2026
  • Approved after Reviewing: March 30, 2026
  • Publication Date: June 25, 2026

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