As temperatures begin to drop into more wintery numbers this weekend, it’s the last chance to enjoy some bright and cheerful Chrysanthemum festivals around Korea.
Chrysanthemums have an interesting place in history and tradition, as they’re one of the four noble flowers of Korea. The other three are bamboo, plum blossom and orchid. This flower is seen to represent honesty, chastity, purity and noble-mindedness. White Chrysanthemums are often used in Korean funeral displays, as they are thought to symbolize lamentation and grief. However, the flowers are grown in a variety of cheerful colours just as they are in the UK.
Seosan, in the western province of Chungcheongnam is just one place you can enjoy a Chrysanthemum autumn festival. Here, flower tunnels provide a great photo spot, and you can drink Chrysanthemum tea and eat a special breed of the flower.
Masan, in south Gyeongsang province is where the flower was first cultivated, so an elaborate display using around 5 billion flowers happens every year.
Iksan City in north Jeolla province also gets creative with its Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival, using the flowers to make pictures of historic Koreans, and more modern popular cartoon characters.
