SAKURA (or cherry blossom), the national flower of Japan, originated in neither Japan nor South Korea, but rather in China, said a member of China Cherry Blossom Association.

He Zongru, the executive chairman of the China Association of Cherry Blossom, made the statement Sunday after South Korean media’s claim that cherry blossoms originated from the country’s Jeju Island earlier this month was denounced by Japanese media, reported the Southern Metropolitan Daily yesterday.

“We are not fighting a war of words with South Korea and Japan, just making it clear that a lot of historical literature supports the fact that China is where cherry blossoms were first cultivated. As Chinese, we have the duty to let more people know its true history,” said He.

Cherry blossoms originated in the Himalayas and found their way to Japan in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), added He.

The cultivation of cherry blossoms in China dates back to the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) dynasties more than 2,000 years ago when the flower was bred in royal gardens.

After it was introduced to Japan, probably by migrating birds according to experts, cherry blossoms gained popularity on the island nation as symbols of the fleeting nature of life, and appreciating cherry blossoms became an established practice over the centuries.

At the news conference, He concluded his remarks on the breeding of cherry blossoms by saying: “In a word, the cherry blossom originated in China, thrived in Japan, and has nothing to do with South Korea.”

(SD-Agencies)