Celebrating the Mugunghwa: Korea's National Flower Festival
Mugunghwa Festival
Commemorating the 80th anniversary of Korean Liberation, join us for a grand festival to truly appreciate the Mugunghwa, Korea's national flower! The Mugunghwa Festival, which began in 1991, is held around August 15th, Liberation Day, when the Mugunghwa is in full bloom. The festival aims to promote love for the country and the precious, beautiful value of the Mugunghwa.
This year, the festival will be held at the National Sejong Arboretum for four days, from August 14th to 17th, organized by the Korea Forest Service. During the festival, there will be night openings and over 1,000 beautiful potted Mugunghwa flowers from all over the country will be on display throughout the arboretum. A spectacular Mugunghwa drone show is also planned for the evening of the opening day, August 14th.
To mark the significant 80th anniversary of Liberation, the Korea Forest Service is also supporting the organization of regional Mugunghwa festivals in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province; Hongcheon, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province; Wanju, North Jeolla Special Self-Governing Province; and Jangseong, South Jeolla Province, to allow more people to experience the beauty of the Mugunghwa.
Mugunghwa (無窮花)
Korea's National Flower, Mugunghwa (無窮花)
It is a deciduous broad-leaved shrub belonging to the Hibiscus genus of the Malvaceae family.
Alternative Names: Geunhwa, Mokgeunhwa, Mokgeun (Chinese name)
The name signifies an 'eternally blooming flower that never fades.' It embodies the Korean people's desire to live a life of abundance and happiness, free from poverty.
Scientific Name: Hibiscus syriacus L.
English: Rose of Sharon
Japanese: Mukuge (木槿), also known as Mokkinka (木僅花)
Flower Meanings: Belief, elegance, compassion
Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus named the species *syriacus* because he mistakenly believed the Mugunghwa originated in Syria. However, its native habitat is East Asia, particularly the Korean Peninsula. The English Wikipedia also lists it as a species endemic to Korea. (*Hibiscus syriacus* was originally endemic to Korea. It was brought to Japan in the 8th century and cultivated for horticulture.)
The genus name *Hibiscus* combines 'Hibis,' meaning 'beautiful goddess of Egypt,' and the Greek word 'Isco,' meaning 'similar.'
It is an ephemeral flower that blooms in the early morning and withers by evening. However, new flowers bloom every day, with a single tree producing approximately 2,000 to 3,000 blossoms. It is similar to flowers in the same family like the Confederate Rose and Hollyhock. Grafting is possible between the Confederate Rose and the Mugunghwa. The dried bark is used in herbal medicine and is called Mokgeunpi.
Mugunghwa Varieties
About 150 varieties of Mugunghwa grow in Korea, classified into three types based on petal formation: single, semi-double, and double flowers. They are also classified into three types based on petal color: Baedalgye (pure white), Dansimgye (with a red center), and Asadalgye (with red markings on the edges of white or light pink petals).
Baedalgye: Pure white flowers without a Dansim (red marking).
Asadalgye: Flowers with red markings on the edges of white or light pink petals.
Dansimgye: Flowers with a Dansim in the center.
- Baekdansimgye (white Dansim)
- Hongdansimgye (red Dansim)
- Cheongdansimgye (blue Dansim)
The government has designated single flowers of the Dansimgye variety (with red or purple markings in the center) as recommended varieties. In a 2021 survey on preferred varieties among the seven varieties distributed by the Korea Forest Service, the Baekdansimgye 'Wonhwa' (41.0%) and the Hongdansimgye 'Chilbo' (21.6%) received high support for their suitability as the 'national flower, a symbol of the nation.'
In Japan, Baekdansimgye is also called Sotan Mukuge, named after tea master Sen no Sotan's favorite flower.
Yellow Mugunghwa, Hwanggeun
Hwanggeun in Jeju Island
It was reported that the yellow native Mugunghwa, Hwanggeun (*Hibiscus hamabo*), which grows naturally on the coast of Jeju Island and some southern coastal areas, was also restored in 2022. It is nicknamed a 'treasure pouch' because the golden stamens in the center of the flower look like a treasure.
The Japanese name Hamabou is the same as the scientific name and means Japanese Magnolia that grows on the beach. The Hanja characters used is 빈박(浜朴) .
However, Dr. Tomitaro Makino, known as the father of Japanese botany, speculated that the meaning of the Hou(ホウ) at the back was unclear and that it was a variation of Fuyo. He also said that the Chinese character Hwanggeun(黃槿) was misused. He is a teacher of Jang Hyung-doo, a first-generation Korean botanist who died from torture because of being branded as leftist.
Japanese Expressions
The Ephemeral Glory of Geunhwa
The expressions *Kin-ka Ichijitsu no Ei* (槿花一日の栄) and *Kin-ka Itcho no Yume* (槿花一朝の夢) are used to describe the fleeting nature of life's glories. These expressions appear in Bai Juyi's (also known as Bai Letian) *Fang Yan* (放言) poem series from the Tang Dynasty.
槿花一日の栄 (Kin-ka Ichijitsu no Ei)
槿花一朝の夢 (Kin-ka Itcho no Yume)
These proverbs mean that even if one enjoys great wealth and glory (*Eiyo-Eiga* (栄耀栄華)), it will not last and will eventually return to nothing.
The phrase originates from Bai Juyi's *Fang Yan*, *Kin-ka Ichijitsu Onodz Kara Sakae o Nasu* < 槿花一日自(おのず)から栄を為(な)す>.
*Eiyo-Eiga o Kiwameru* = to enjoy wealth and glory (*Fuki-Eiga*) (富貴栄華).
(Example) 「財閥の頭領として栄耀栄華をきわめた」 「世に伝わる美術品には、時の支配者が栄耀栄華をきわめたときにつくられたものが多い」
Mugunghwa Song
Pure White Baedalgye Mugunghwa
The ephemerality is mentioned in the second verse of singer Shim Soo-bong's 1985 song *Mugunghwa*: 'Oh, bird that cannot fly, what did you see? Human glory is fleeting, don't stay, fly away.'
Shim Soo-bong's 2011 congratulatory wedding song for her manager, *Dear My Bride*, mentions the Mugunghwa's English name, Rose of Sharon: 'Rose of Sharon, lily of the valleys, my love among the women is like a lily.' This phrase comes from Song of Songs 2:1, which is translated as daffodil. The Hebrew word originally meant 'a beautiful flower that grows in the fields of Sharon (holy land).' It is also said to refer to the Mugunghwa, but this seems to be a misunderstanding based on the origin of the scientific name.
2025 Taean Mugunghwa Festival (8/15~17)
The 7th Taean Mugunghwa Festival will be held at Taean Cheollipo Arboretum for three days from August 15th (Fri) to 17th (Sun). During the festival, the Mugunghwa Garden will be open for free at all times, and various programs will be held, including Mugunghwa commentary, word quizzes, and pressed flower fan making.
Successful Hosting of the Jangseong Mugunghwa Grand Festival
Baekdansimgye Mugunghwa
The 'Jangseong Mugunghwa Grand Festival', held around Jangseong Mugunghwa Park in Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do, famous for Baekyangsa Temple, was held from August 7th to 8th. 46 varieties and 12,000 Mugunghwa plants showed off their beauty.
Baekyang Flower, a Unique Species of Lycoris Originating from Baekyangsa Temple
National Flower Meeting the 80th Anniversary of Liberation…Jangseong Mugunghwa Grand Festival
American-Developed Blue Cheongdansimgye Mugunghwa Blue Satin
Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Satin'
Blue Satin
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