The Story of June Peony – The Flower of Wealth, a Butterfly, and Blue Ribbons
Ask who the king of flowers is, and many people think of the rose, but in the old East, people said it was the peony. The June Hwatu card is exactly that peony. With a big, lush red flower and even a butterfly flying in, this card makes a splash with its glamor on the table too.
June Animal (peony and butterflies)
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June Blue Ribbon (blue ribbon)
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Why is the peony the ‘flower of wealth and honor’?
The peony has big, rich blossoms, so since long ago it has been seen as a flower that stands for wealth and honor. It is said that in China it was even called by a name meaning “king of flowers,” and the peony often appears on old Korean folding screens too. That is said to be why peony paintings were placed at feasts and weddings.
When does the peony bloom?
The peony usually blooms in late spring, around May. But Hwatu says June, right? The months of Hwatu are said to follow the old calendar (the lunar calendar), so they can look a month or two off from today’s calendar. That is why the question “Why is a May flower in June?” comes up.
Hidden pictures: the June Animal
- Red peony blossoms bloom layer upon layer in full richness, and you can see yellow stamens in the middle of the flower.
- Deep green leaves hold the flower up firmly.
- Below, two yellow butterflies are about to land.
- Next to the butterflies, a red cloud pattern peeks out a little.
Quiz! Count how many butterflies there are. The answer is two. But many people miss the butterflies in their first round. The flower is so showy that the butterflies gave up the starring role.
One Blue Ribbon, two Junk
The ribbon of June is the Blue Ribbon. It hangs sideways among the flowers, so the contrast between the red flowers and the blue ribbon is refreshing. The other two cards are Junk, with big peony blossoms drawn on them.
June Junk
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June Junk
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What the June cards do in the game
- Animal: Animals start scoring from 5 cards (5 cards 1 pt, 6 cards 2 pts…).
- Blue Ribbons: Collecting all three blue ribbons of June, September, and October adds 3 points. There is also a “Complete the Blue Ribbons” mission.
- Junk: Points start from a Junk point total of 10.
June is a month with no Bright. It is quiet in rounds where you are aiming for Brights, but when you are going for the Blue Ribbons, the June blue ribbon becomes a very important key. The stories close to the Blue Ribbons continue in The Story of September Chrysanthemums and The Story of October Maples as well.
An anecdote: the day I was swayed in front of the peony
“The June card is so showy that every time I capture one, I feel like I am getting rich.” Someone is said to have joked like this. Your points do not really get rich, of course, but everyone shares the same feeling that holding a showy card just puts you in a good mood. If one flower brightens up the round, that is enough.
