Cultural Significance & Symbolism of Chrysanthemums

In some countries of Europe (e.g., France, Italy, Poland, Croatia), white chrysanthemums are symbolic of death and are only used for funerals or on graves - similarly, in China, Japan and Korea, white chrysanthemums are symbolic of lamentation and/or grief. In some other countries, it represents honesty. In the United States, the flower is usually regarded as positive and cheerful.

China

• The chrysanthemum is one of the "Four Gentlemen" (四君子) of China (the others being the plum blossom, the orchid, and bamboo). The chrysanthemum is said to have been favored by Tao Qian, an influential Chinese poet, and is symbolic of nobleness. It is also one of the 4 symbolic seasonal flowers.

• A Chrysanthemum Festival is held each year in Tongxiang, near Hangzhou, China.

• Chrysanthemums are the topic in hundreds of poems of China.

• The "golden flower" referred to in the 2006 movie Curse of the Golden Flower is a chrysanthemum.


Japan

• The Chrysanthemum Throne is the name given to the position of Japanese emperor.

• Chrysanthemum crest (菊花紋章, kikukamonshō or kikkamonshō) is a general term for a mon of chrysanthemum blossom design; there are more than 150 different patterns. The Imperial Seal of Japan is a particularly notable one; it is used by members of the Japanese Imperial family. There are also a number of formerly state-endowed shrines (官国弊社, kankokuheisha) which have adopted a chrysanthemum crest.[10]

• The Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum is a Japanese honor awarded by the emperor.

• In Japan the chrysanthemum is also a metaphor for homosexuality in poems, as the tightly gathered petals are supposed to represent the anus.

• The city of Nihonmatsu, Japan hosts the "Nihonmatsu Chrysanthemum Dolls Exhibition" every autumn in historical ruin of Kasumigajo castle.[12]


United States

• The chrysanthemum is the flower of the American musician fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

• Chrysanthemums were recognized as the official flower of the city of Chicago in 1961.

• The Rock band Everclear has a song named after the flower.


Australia

• Australians traditionally give their mother a bunch of chrysanthemums on Mother's Day.



Others

• The white chrysanthemum is the flower of Triangle Fraternity, a society of engineers, architects, and scientists.

• The term "chrysanthemum" is also used to refer to a certain type of firework shell that produces a pattern of trailing sparks similar to a chrysanthemum flower.

• The chrysanthemum is also the flower of November.

• Hallucinations of a "chrysanthemum" pattern have been reported as a result of Dimethyltryptamine intake.




Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysanthemum

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