A number of Chinese media, including Guangzhou’s New Express and the official China National Radio reported in June 2011 that about 10 percent, or 200 tons, of the annual chrysanthemum flower tea supply produced in Yangma Township (洋马镇) of Sheyang County (射阳县) in Jiangsu province — a region known as the home of traditional Chinese medicine and the “land of chrysanthemums” (菊花之乡) — were suspected of sulphur contamination during processing, making it dangerous for human consumption. This cartoon, posted by the Kunming-based studio Yuan Jiao Man’s Space (圆觉漫时空) to QQ.com, shows a bed a nastily-grinning chrysanthemums. Media reports on food safety issues have followed one after the other this year in China, exposing poor government oversight of food production across the country.


David Bandurski

CMP Director

Latest Articles