During the Dutch tulipomania in the early 1600s, just before the flower market crash, the bulb of an unusual variety of tulip was sold for the cost of a mansion. What made it so valuable was its streaked crimson white pattern, which it was later discovered was caused by a virus.
The unhappy ending of the obsession with an abnormality, even a beautiful one, was predicted several hundred years earlier in an essay ‘Account of the Tree Peonies of Luoyang’ by a major literary figure of the Northern Song, Ouyang Xiu (欧阳修, 1007-1072). The danger Ouyang was warning against was peonies. What was wrong with the flower? Read on to find out!
By Ilina Tatiana (edited by Nic Doering)
Continue reading “The Peony: A love-hate relationship in ancient China”
