A Christmas tree from Korea?
The Christmas tree is an important symbol in Western Christian culture, representing the spirit and soul of Christmas. It has brought joy and peace of Christmas to many people. This tree reminds us of the meaning and values of Christmas and serves as a precious symbol where everyone can gather and spend happy times together.
There are many theories about the origin of Christmas trees.
One of the theories suggests that the origin of the Christmas tree can be traced back to Saint Boniface, who was born in England and conducted missionary work in Germany. Boniface witnessed the Germanic tribes offering sacrifices to an oak tree in the forest every year, considering it to be an inappropriate practice. He then cut down the tree and saved the people who would have been sacrificed in the future.
From that point on, the tradition of gathering around this tree for worship began, and in the 8th century, German Christians started to erect Christmas trees inside churches. During that time, German Christmas trees took the form of deciduous trees such as lime or apple trees adorned with elaborate decorations. It wasn't until the early 16th century that the use of evergreen trees, like the ones we see today, became popular.
In the 17th century, Christmas trees started to be erected in German courts, spreading throughout Europe. Then, in the mid-19th century, the tradition of Christmas trees was brought to the United States through the influence of German immigrants. It was recorded that Charles Minnegroth, a German immigrant, first set up a Christmas tree in Pennsylvania in the 1830s.
However, in the early days, Christmas trees in the United States were decorated using native species of evergreen trees. However, there were difficulties due to the large size of the trees, which required cumbersome transportation, storage, and the need for additional processing to make them visually appealing.
Nowadays, in most parts of the United States and Europe, Christmas trees are made using the Korean Fir, a species native to Korea. The Korean Fir possesses the ideal size and characteristics for use as a Christmas tree, allowing us to continue sharing the traditions and beauty of Christmas with people around the world.
Why Korean fir trees went to Europe and the U.S
• Currently, the Korean Fir, known for its excellent shape, is widely used commercially as a Christmas tree overseas.
• The Korean Fir is a species native to Korea, specifically found in high-altitude mountains in the southern region such as Hallasan, Jirisan, and Deogyusan. It grows at elevations of around 1,000 meters or higher.
• The reason why the Korean Fir made its way from Korea to Europe and the United States is believed to be due to a French priest named 'Take' who exported it from Jeju Island, Korea.
• Currently, in the United States, there is a cultivated version of the Korean Fir known as the Korean Fir (Korean Fir). The Smithsonian Institution in the United States holds the standardized criteria and patent rights for the improved Korean Fir.
The Korean Fir, known as "Gusangnamu" in Korean
The Korean Fir, known as "Gusangnamu" in Korean, is a native species of Korea. It is an evergreen coniferous tree with needle-like leaves that grows in high mountains in the southern region, such as Hallasan Mountain in Jeju Island, Deogyusan, and Jirisan.
The discovery of the Korean Fir can be attributed to Emile Joseph Taquet (1873-1952), a Catholic priest and botanist, who collected specimens along with Urbain Jean Faurie (1847-1915), another Catholic priest and botanist from France, on Hallasan in 1907. The specimens were sent to Harvard University, and in 1915, British botanist Ernest Henry Wilson (1876-1930) identified them as a distinct species separate from the existing Abies species. The tree was originally called "Kusallang" in the Jeju dialect, but it was later given the scientific name Abies Koreana. It was exported from Jeju Island. In 1937, Korean scholars, including Jung Tae-hyun, officially named it "Gusangnamu" in the "Chosun Plant Nomenclature" book.
In the United States, the Korean Fir has been improved and is now known as the Korean Fir or Korean Christmas Tree. The Smithsonian Institution in the United States holds the standardized criteria and patent rights for the improved Korean Fir. It is noteworthy that during the Christmas season, around 10 million Korean Fir trees are sold as Christmas trees in the United States.
In conclusion...
We have examined the history of Christmas trees and the reasons why Korea's Korean Fir has gained its place as a Christmas tree. Korea's native Korean Fir is loved worldwide as a Christmas tree for its outstanding characteristics and beauty.
However, due to climate change, not only the survival of the Korean Fir but also various environments are being threatened. Efforts to address this issue are urgently needed, and they will play an important role in preserving the beautiful nature.
The story of the roots of Christmas trees and the meeting of Korea's Korean Fir provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of Christmas.
I hope that all of us can have a more abundant and meaningful Christmas this year.
Additional information on Korean fir trees
Korean Fir, a native species in Korea, grows naturally in mountains such as Hallasan, Jirisan, Mudeungsan, and Deogyusan. It was originally called "Kusalnang" in Jeju dialect, which is a combination of "kusal" meaning crab and "nang" meaning tree, because its leaves resemble crab spikes. However, in the book "Joseon Plant Names" by Jung Tae-hyun et al. (1937), it was changed to "Gusangnamu."
Gusangnamu belongs to the pine family and is an evergreen coniferous tree that can grow up to 25 meters tall. Its bark is dark gray and generally smooth, while the bark of older trees is rough. The leaves are linear and needle-like, with young branches having leaves that split into two tips. The backside of the leaves has two rows of white stomatal lines, and the flowers bloom in late May. The female flowers are a deep purple color and are quite eye-catching.
The fruit of Gusangnamu is a cylindrical cone, ranging in color from brown and black to purple and green. It measures 46.5 to 72.4mm in length and 18.2 to 27.2mm in width, and the fruiting period is from September to October. Gusangnamu has been cultivated and widely distributed overseas as a Christmas tree. However, in Korea, it is designated as an endangered species due to climate change.
The Korean Fir was designated as an endangered species (EN, ENDANGERED) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2011. Nationally, there are approximately 2.65 million individual Korean Fir trees growing in an area of about 6,939 hectares, and the highest decline rate is observed in Hallasan, where 39% of Korean Fir trees and approximately 33% of Korean Fir forests nationwide are declining.
The rapid climate change has led to a rise in winter temperatures and a decrease in snowfall, resulting in reduced moisture supply to the soil when the snow melts in spring, which has an impact on the growth of Korean Fir trees.
