Ultimate guide to Chrysanthemum Tattoos 2024: Its Symbolism and the Role it plays

Chrysanthemum Tattoos: Its Symbolism and the Role it plays

Also called ‘mum’, this is a stunning flower that has several symbolic associations and connotations. The Chrysanthemums are one of the most favorite tattoos for people to get and one immediately realizes why it is so once he/she knows the meaning of this flower.

In this article, you will be able to learn about the history, meaning, and use in culture to understand the meaning behind the chrysanthemum tattoo. We may also endorse some chrysanthemum tattoo designs and some reference pics that could provide notion to your subsequent body art.

Chrysanthemum: Multi-petalled flowers

Chrysanthemums have been reported to have been grown in China for more than 2,000 years in the past. In fact, symbolically in Chinese culture, the chrysanthemum is one of the ‘four nobles’ or four major themes depicted in Chinese art and literature.

The flower was first domesticated by the Chinese as early as the Middle Minoan 1400–1500 BC. According to Chinese myths and folklore it is believed that the chrysanthemum plant was started by a god named Heng O who had special abilities in being a plant breeder. Among the numerous flowers, the Chinese have always appreciated the beauty of chrysanthemum bloom, which had been the theme of festivals with its beginning dated back to the 9th century AD, the Tang Dynasty period.

It was brought to Japan in the Nara and Heian periods today Chrysanthemum is Japan’s national symbol. This flower soon incorporated into the Japanese imperial regalia and accruement. Today the chrysanthemum crest is associated with the Emperor of Japan and Japan has even institutionalized a Chrysanthemum Day to commemorate the blooming of the flower. This flower has become an object of art and is depicted in a painting that is currently hanging in my office The flower is also used during the autumn festivals.

Thus, through the centuries and, in particular, centuries, the chrysanthemum went a long way and reached different corners of the Earth. Today it remains to be well-known as an ornamental flower across the globe. This perennial plant is characterized by its flowering that occurs in summer and particularly in the fall with the flowers ranging from white and yellow to red and purple.

What Chrysanthemum Tattoo Means

As is evident from the rich cross-cultural history of the beautiful colored chrysanthemum, it has accumulated various symbolic associations. When combined with body art, chrysanthemum tattoos can represent:

Longevity and youth
The chrysanthemum is especially considered a symbol of longevity by the Chinese. Symbols of longevity are often placed for his tattoo.

Happiness and Friendship
Culturally, some flowers have been associated with certain elements and are believed to have specific effects as per the Feng Shui rulebook; for instance, chrysanthemums symbolize good luck. The flowers invite joy, merriment and good company.

Perseverance and Determination
In Japan, the sequential opening up of a flower to bloom has been used to symbolize progress and order. The flower symbolizes the determination and hard work which people put in achieving their goals.

Death and Grief
Starting from the kind and rather symbolic representation of the botanical motives and ending up the rather mysterious and quite gloomy view of the skull, the opportunities to utilize the chrysanthemum flower as the tattoo image are countless. Here are some brilliant chrysanthemum tattoo designs to spark your inspiration.

To sum up, chrysanthemum tattoos represents the profound cultural correlation to the idea related to devotion, nobility, honor, rest, and meditation in Eastern civilization.

On the other hand, they are still culturally connected with mourning, dying, and other instances of loss within most of the western civilization. That is why, the meaning at a deeper level of the mum makes it possible for it to be a good tattoo design.

Chrysanthemum Tattoo Designs: Inspiration and Overview

From the optimistic and symbolic view of presenting the botanical motives to the mysterious and somewhat gloomy image of the skull, the possibilities to use the chrysanthemum flower as a tattoo element are numerous. Here are some brilliant chrysanthemum tattoo designs to spark your inspiration:

1. Chrysanthemum Flower Tattoo
If you decided to make a realistic or abstract tattoo based on the image of the chrysanthemum flower itself, you get an opportunity to stress the meant symbolical meaning. This can be done by ordering one flower or a whole arrangement. You can be as simple as using the black ink or be as colorful as red or orange or whatever color that can be used. Let the mum tat making you the mum of eternally beautiful blossom, place it where you wish, forearm, shoulder blade, thigh or any part of the body.

2. Chrysanthemum and Butterfly Tattoo
Flower and butterflies are symbolic of changed, transition, hope and rebirth. When connected with the mum flower in a tattoo, these concepts complement each other quite nicely. The butterfly placed on the stem of the rich colored flower is good symbolic picture to create.

3. Chrysanthemum Skull Tattoo
Ramp up the symbolism of the mum even further and place a skull in center of your chrysanthemum tattoos body art Either encompassed by the beauty of the flower or looking menacingly at you, a contrasting skull design adds the element of life and rebirth to the mum.

4. Chrysanthemum and Snake Tattoo
Another positive value associated with the snake in Japanese culture is good health and protection among other positive features. Then, when you put Chrysanthemums in a tattoo, you receive an inspiring picture charged with a great number of favorable meanings.

5. Chrysanthemum Mandala Tattoo
Use elements of China and other eastern religions and philosophies with circle motifs as an inspiration. Although the presented mandala design is as balanced as one may imagine, the main focus of the pattern is a chrysanthemum – a flower symbolic to represent harmony, balance, and beauty when it is depicted on the skin.

6. Chrysanthemum and Dragon Tattoo
The dragon is one of the folklore creatures and it has powerful associations with strength, nobility, and prosperity in the cultures of the East. If added to mum flower in tattoo art, it does create very beautiful images filled with the history of ancient civilizations.

7. Lotus and Chrysanthemum Tattoo
Enhance one of the most famous motives in oriental art and symbols – the lotus and chrysanthemum flowers by merging them in the unity of tattoo art, Switch between black-and-white sketches or bright and expressive shades to reveal the meaning of these flowers which symbolize virtue, power, devotion, and perseverance.

8. Chrysanthemum Geisha Tattoo
Here is a stunning example of how you can make your chrysanthemum tattoo culturally accurate by adding such symbols as a geisha, which is a part of Japanese culture. The contrast of the curvilinear splendor of the female form with the bold and brilliant colors of the flowers brought the essence of the floral festivities of the Oriental cultures.

In any case, this magnificent chrysanthemum blossom’s meaning is a hidden wonder of symbolic interest, no matter which tattoo design you decide on. Embrace the legends of this magical land by dressing in permanent mum ink for that extra aesthetic appeal.

The Best Location for Chrysanthemum Tattoo

Actually the question of placement is as crucial as the choice of the design with such symbol as chrysanthemum. The flower tattoo is one of the most flexible and adapts to almost any location both on large vast areas of the skin and in smaller and more private zones.

For bigger botanical bouquets or twisting vines, consider:

Full sleeve
Full back piece
Thighs
Torso

Smaller singular blooms or simpler outlines work well in daintier locations like:

Wrist
Ankle
Behind the ear
This was because the straprests perfectly on the shoulders and collar bones.

Hiding Invisibility: Do not forget the visibility aspect when choosing the location of chrysanthemum tattoos. Are you aiming to have a tattoo that can be hidden or worn openly as a form of personal statement? However it was found that any region of the body which could be considered sensitive for tattooing, was more sensitive for the process of tattooing.

Next, you are filled with ideas and information of this charming blossom of the east, it’s time to start thinking about your own chrysanthemum tattoo ideas.

Find floral ink artists near you with a good reputation and make an appointment with them. Before you know it you’ll be demonstrating the beauty of the mum flower via very permanent bright tattoo art.