One of the most important events taking place at the Shilin Official Residence in Taipei, Taiwan, is the chrysanthemum show held in November and December every year. The glamorous floral festival was originally held in observance of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek’s birthday on October 31 from the 1950s to 1975, as the chrysanthemum is a symbol of longevity and rejuvenation for the Chinese people.
The chrysanthemum exhibition has resumed since 2002, aiming to promote horticulture, raise ecological conservation awareness, and boost tourism in the capital city. It is now the largest chrysanthemum show in Taiwan.
Please watch the following video of the 2018 Shilin Residence Chrysanthemum show:
The 2018 Shilin Residence Chrysanthemum Show is held from November 30 to December 16 and features a wide variety of objects styled with different types of chrysanthemums and various aster flowers. The main theme of this year’s show is the merging of chrysanthemums with famous landscapes from around the world (菊世遨遊).
Other themes of this year’s show include Alisha’s High Mountains Forest Railway (阿里山高山森林小火車), Legend of the Pyramids (金字塔傳奇), Brilliance of the Polar Regions (極地風光), Legends of the African Savanna (非洲草原傳奇), Hawaiian Atmosphere (夏威夷風情), Romantic Chanson (浪漫香頌), Precious Love: Dutch Klomp (珍貴之愛 荷蘭木鞋), Japan’s Chrysanthemum Affection (東瀛風緣 菊情濃濃), and Dreamy Kingdom of Butterfly Dances (蝴蝶飛舞的夢幻國度).
With colorful blossoms in different shapes and sizes, there are over 18,000 chrysanthemum plants and more than 100 species exhibited in the 2018 show.
Chrysanthemum show displays the king of chrysanthemums
Among the intriguing highlights of the 2018 show is the display of the king of chrysanthemums, Da-Li Chrysanthemums, and Chrysanthemums Grandiflorum species (大立菊─大立菊的家), which boasts a single main branch loaded with 2,323 blossoms. It, in fact, takes about two years for the park authorities to cultivate this champion chrysanthemum.
Apart from the splendid exhibitions of beautiful flowers, there are also various performances and cultural activities held on weekends during the floral festival to entertain visitors from home and abroad.
Visitors will be amazed by the innovation and creativity in the exquisitely ornamented chrysanthemums displayed throughout the park and the impressive cultivating techniques applied by the CKS Shilin Residence.
The show attracted nearly 550,000 visitors in 2017, and it is expected that there will be more than 600,000 people visiting the exhibition this year.
The Shilin Residence Chrysanthemum Show is something not to be missed during the autumn in Taiwan. It is a wonderful destination for the whole family to have fun together as well as to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
