The Start of Winter is the 19th of China's 24 solar terms and the first for the winter. When winter comes, the ground gets cold and plants wither. But some plants can withstand the frost and cold, bringing life to the desolate world. 

In this bleak season, floral art displays vitality and a spirit of endurance in the face of difficulty.

Still blooming on the day of the Start of Winter, Chrysanthemums resist the cold weather and are seen to represent a steadfast spirit. Therefore, it has been admired by Chinese people since ancient times. 

Great Chinese poet Tao Yuanming (365– 427) is known for his love to chrysanthemums. Among his many poems praising the chrysanthemum, one goes:

Fragrant chrysanthemums blossom and shine in the woods; 

Green pines crown the mountain. 

Chaste and beautiful, they are the heroes in the cold weather.

The chrysanthemum was selected by florist Cherry Ran as the main flower for today's piece of floral art. Three flowers are cut into desirable lengths and placed inside the floral arrangement to construct a basic asymmetric shape.

Rosehip, an accessory fruit of the rose plant after its flower fades, has a similar orange color to chrysanthemum. Their colors echo each other and set the main color for the art piece.

The rosehip branch connects the stems of three chrysanthemums. As it stretches on the side of the art piece, it gives what Ran describes as a "sense of the extension of space.”

The evergreen cedar, the other hero in Tao's poem, is also appreciated by Chinese litterateurs and titled "three durable plants of winter" along with bamboo and plum blossom.

Cut cedar branch into short shoots, and plant them beneath the chrysanthemum stems and rosehip branch. The darker green color of cedar and the lighter green color of moss present different layers of colors.

The finished piece of floral art has warm and vibrant colors, a well-spaced shape and profound cultural connotation.

The admirable art piece with cold-resisting plants not only brings outdoor scenery into the home but also decorates people's lives with vitality and high-spirit.

Reporter: Wu Yan

Scriptwriter: Wu Yan

Editor: Wu Yan

Copy editors: Katrin Büchenbacher, Claudine Housen

Chief editors: Xu Jian, Zhou Zongxin

Cover image designer: Yu Peng

Video editor: Liang Si

Executive producer: Zhang Xiaohe

Producer: Si Nan

Supervisor: Zhang Shilei