Gang Hee-an, who was a representative writer and painter in the early years of Joseon Dynasty, was also good at gardening. In his book, Yanghwa Sorok, he recorded the properties of plants and cultivation methods, which he discovered while raising plants.
This book, which has the information about sixteen plants such as chrysanthemum, sweet flag and orchid, can stand comparision with the book that teaches fine character of men. Gang Hee-an says that the purpose of growing flowers and plants is to cultivate the heart, throw away arrogant mind, and strive after virtue; we should learn unwavering integrity from pine tree, the way to lead a quiet life from chrysanthemum, and dignity from plum flower. And he also emphasizes the study on the nature of each plant, saying, “Since each plant has a different property, if we take care of them as we please without knowing how to grow them, how can it bud, bloom and reveal its beautiful figure?”
Growing a plant is very similar with the process of waiting for the fruit of the gospel to be borne. Until we sow the seed of the word and it blooms, we should take off all our arrogance and change graciously. Every soul has its own characteristic. If we don’t care about it carefully but lead the soul as we please, the seed of the gospel that we sowed hard may not bear any fruit. For a soul to grow to become good fruit that can encourage others, we should first become spiritual horticulturists with much knowledge, and the ways are fully recorded in the Bible.