The Semantics Of Colors In Classical Eastern Literature

Abstract

Color symbolism occupies a significant place in Classical Eastern literature, serving as a powerful artistic and philosophical tool for expressing spiritual, ethical, and aesthetic meanings. Poets and mystics of the Eastern literary tradition employed colors not merely as descriptive elements but as symbolic representations of divine truth, human emotions, moral values, and metaphysical realities. This article examines the semantic functions of major colors, including white, black, red, green, blue, and gold, in Classical Eastern literary texts, with particular attention to Persian-Tajik and Turkic Sufi poetry. Through textual and comparative analysis, the study reveals how color imagery contributes to the construction of symbolic meaning and enriches literary discourse.