History of saffron foods, saffron stigmas were also soaked in water to yield a golden-yellow solution that was used as a fabric dye. Some historians believe that saffron first came to China with Mongol invaders by way of Persia. Saffron is mentioned in the ancient Chinese medical text "Shennong Ben Cao Jing", believed to be from the 3rd century AD (but attributed to mythological emperor Shennong). Yet the Chinese were referring to saffron as having a Kashmiri provenance. The Chinese medical expert Wan Zhen wrote that "[t]he habitat of saffron is in Kashmir, where people grow it principally to offer it to the
Saffron (color) faith and chivalry respectively. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who later became India's first Vice President and second President, described the significance of the Indian National Flag as follows: Homer's "Iliad" : "Now when Dawn in robe of saffron was hastening from the streams of Okeanos, to bring light to mortals and immortals, Thetis reached the ships with the armor that the god had given her." (19.1) Virgil's "Aeneid" : Displayed at right is the color "rajah". Rajah is a bright deep tone of saffron. Saffron (color) Saffron is an orange color, resembling the color of the tip of the saffron crocus thread,