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Luoyang: Capital for Millennia and City of Peonies

China Today, February 8, 2017 Adjust font size:

Fragrant and Heavenly Peonies 

Besides the Longmen Grottoes and White Horse Temple, peonies are a main aesthetic feature of Luoyang’s scenery. An ancient Chinese poem declares, “Peonies are the most beautiful flowers throughout the nation, and when in bloom their fragrance can astonish the faraway imperial palace.” 

It is now customary among Luoyang locals to enjoy the splendor of peonies. When they are in blossom, the whole city teems with visitors, and when they wither, this frenzy recedes. Peonies stay in blossom from seven to 10 days, and the best time to enjoy this sight is in mid-April. Luoyang, well known for its advanced technology, has made studies of asexual propagation techniques of nurturing varieties of peonies, and promoted new strains. The city currently features 1,100-plus varieties of peonies in nine colors, including black, red, yellow, green, white, and purple. A total of 40 million plants or more grow there. 

There are numerous places to enjoy the sight of peonies. Luoyang Peony Park, at the intersection of National Highway 310 and Airport Road, offers the brilliant sight of peonies in nine colors and 600 varieties. They include the Central Plains Peony and Northwest Rockii Tree Peony. Many have won awards, such as for the individual peony plant with the most flowers, of the weirdest shape, and that most popular with spectators. The diameter of the king peony can reach 29 centimeters. 

Royal City Park takes its name from its location on the remains of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BC) and is now a world-famous relic park. It is also a main venue for visitors to enjoy the sight of more than 150,000 peonies in a 13-plus hectares area. 

The National Beautiful Peonies Park is reputed as a Chinese peony gene bank. Far from the urban sprawl, peonies here blossom a little later, so providing an alternative to late-coming peony admirers. Famous for domesticating wild peonies and breeding new varieties, the park has become the country’s largest breeding and production base. 

Peonies from China bloom throughout the world. From 724 to 749, Chinese peonies were brought to Japan where they were cultivated in 211 improved varieties. Japan now has the world’s largest number of cultivated peonies. China also introduced peonies to the United States in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and the American people have loved them ever since.   

(Compiled by China Today)

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