Now it is preached in the true sūtra of the Buddha that when the Buddhist dharma faces confusion, a great sage appears and when the world is in disarray, the sage and the ignorant appear at the same time. For instance, pine trees are called the kings of trees because they grow through the wintry season, and chrysanthemum flowers are called “holy flowers” because they blossom later than other flowers in the wintry season. When the world is in order, a sage does not appear, but when it is in disarray, the sage and the ignorant appear at the same time.

Hyōesakan-dono Gosho, Letter to Lord Ikegami Munenaga, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers I, Volume 6, Page 89