Korea
中文Scientific name Helianthus Annuus
Kingdom Plant Kingdom
PHYLUM ANGIOSPERM
Order Campanulales
Origin central America
Habitat sunny areas
Size 2M HEIGHT
Dicotyledons campanulales of the chrysanthemum family is an annual plant that is sometimes referred to as hyangilhwa or joilhwa. It grows well in sunny areas but there is probably no other plant that can also grow on any surface by itself as well as the sunflower. Like a tall man it can grow up to 2m and there are sawteeth on the edge of the heart-shaped egg. Flowers bloom from August to September and the diameter is 8-60cm. The ray flower is yellow and androgynous, and the tubular flower is brown or yellow and andromonoecious according to Naver encyclopedia. The movie that comes to mind when thinking of sunflowers is the film
I Girasoli , Sunflower , 1970
These days, another film called
War 2. With the end of the war, everybody returns home but Giovanna’s (Sophia Loren) husband (Marcello Mastroianni) is missing, and it is reported everybody in the village was killed in action.
With only the hope that her husband is still alive, Giovanna sets out after hearing a rumor that someone saw him alive in the Soviet Union. She leaves from Napoli with only a photograph of her husband and people advise her to visit the Sunflower field where foreign soldiers were buried.
Gottorfer Codex, (1649-1659)
Then one day, she dramatically meets her husband but he has lost his memory during the war and married a Soviet women who took care of her. She leaves him behind and returns to Napoli. This dramatic movie’s story that might be seen in a morning TV drama is difficult to understand, but the national flower of the Soviet Union at the time was the sunflower, and it was banned in Korea due to the setting being in a communist country. It is hard to understand why culture and politics has to mix and ban the film, but it is a film with beautiful sunflowers, soundtrack, and Sophie Loren.
Jaume Saint-Hilaire, J.H., La flore et la pomone françaises vol.1 t.20 (1828)
The sunflower, as large and elegant as Sopiha Loren, is also carefree and beautiful. It has a strength that let’s it grow everywhere, but the desperation of turning to look at the sun, is reminiscent of Korean women in the midst of war.
Vincent Willem van Gogh SunFlowers
That movie isn’t the only thing that comes to mind when it comes to sunflowers. People who don’t know much about art may not know who Van Gogh is, but they have probably looked at Sunflowers at least once. Sunflowers is an intense masterpiece that makes one wonder what drove Van Gogh to move his hands to paint despite his ear being cut off.
Unlike its tendency to live quietly and gaze at the sun because of its striking height and eye, life feels unfortunate. However, the sunflower is one of the most beloved flowers because it is often featured in children’s stories and animations alongside forest friends.
The floriography of the sunflower means “pride.” I pray that I can live like the sunflower and plant my roots towards something high.
