I realised yesterday that I've died onto a lot of symbolism surrounding Suo but I never dived into what the falcon could represent outside of martial arts, which is used for martial arts prowess, supreme power, ambition and keen vision.
Okay, let's start with the Chinese symbolism of a peregrine falcon (隼 in Hayato or Sun Fei 隼飛)
So, apparently chinese emperors and nobles used to practice hunting with falcons as a past time, as the falcon represents the rulers commanding authority, unwavering focus and aggressive ability to strike down obstacles. It was a way to portray themselves as authoritative and effective rulers.
In traditional Chinese paintings we can find peregrine falcons perched on a pine branch or in the middle of a hunt, in these cases they're a representation of political and physical might, as well as of strength and strategic or tactical readiness.
In classic poetry and literature, the falcon has been linked to the east and to autumn, philosophers drew this connection from the seasonal migration of the falcon and from when the young falcons reach maturity to hunt independently (you guys understand how well this works, that falcons freaking migrate in autumn and Suo left Furin to go back to Bankoku-Gai in autumn, right?)
And lastly, to expand on the martial arts thing, since Suo is formally trained in a mix of styles, the falcon represents agility and speed, which I think I mentioned in my very first analysis of his name. There's a style of Imperial Combat Arts called "falcon" style and it is formed by the lightest, fastest and fastest and more evasive techniques (so, Suo basically) and very effective against larger opponents (I mean, if you're a child this comes by very handy)
In Japanese symbolism 隼 or Hayabusa (peregrine falcon) is generally tied to strategic thinking, flawless force and the warrior spirit, basically conveying the idea of someone who acts without hesitation and strikes with absolute accuracy (once again, Nii-sensei chooses his names very carefully)
Falconry (Takagori) was an exclusive sport and a military exercise for Japan's shoguns and samurai. They thought the bird's discipline and keen sight mirrored the strategic ideas of Bushido and the mental training required of the samurai.
Unlike other symbols that convey raw aggression, hayabusa symbolises calculated, effortless perfection, a falcon waits and takes action only when it won't miss its mark, this being a symbol of absolute precision (this is literally Suo wtf)
On the same side, because of their sharp vision and fearless nature, falcons are often regarded as fierce guardians that even ward off evil (so he has the earrings and the name now, damn)
The hayabusa can also represent ambition due to the bird's ability to soar above everything, so basically the pursuit of high aspirations and greatness.
Lastly, in traditional Japanese woodblock prints and irezumi (Japanese tattooing), falcons are often paired with cherry blossoms (Sakura) to represent a warrior's swift, fleeting life, as cherry blossoms represent the fleeting nature of life as they bloom only in spring and Falcons are tied to warriors. They also get paired with Snakes to symbolise the duality of life and death, or power and longevity.
So, anyways, I fear we focused too much on his flower when his namesake was a bird unlike everyone at Furin. I pointed out the martial arts aspect of the name before but this just makes a ton of sense to me.
