TRAVEL

TAN BEE HONG

Fields of mudan hua burst forth in full bloom in Luoyang, China every year in April and May. TAN BEE HONG is on cloud nine enjoying the full splendour of the peonies

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The artist from Beijing concentrates on her sketches of mudan hua" border="0"> The artist from Beijing concentrates on her sketches of mudan hua

A SUBTLE fragrance fills the air in Luoyang come every spring and summer as its official flower, the mudan hua (peony) bursts forth in vibrant shades and colours. No wonder poets like Li Bai were inspired to compose three verses on the spot about the beauty of the flower.

He also wrote one at the request of Emperor Xuan Zong, comparing the peony to concubine Yang Gui Fei, one of the Four Classic Beauties of Chinese history.

“The famous flower and the beautiful lady enjoy each other’s company. It is a scene that always brings a smile to the emperor’s face.”

April is the month of the peony and locals as well as thousands and thousands of visitors converge on Luoyang to admire the flower.

Long revered by the royalty, the peony has been cultivated for three thousand years. There are, today, over 1,000 varieties of peonies in Luoyang and some have single layer petals while others have multiple petals. As for the colours, these range from white and red to yellow, violet, pink, blue, green and even black though I didn’t get to see this variety. Some, I am told, bloom a certain colour and age into a secondary shade.

Royal Decree

There are many legends about the peony, and one of them tells of the peony’s defiance of the rich and powerful, and its refusal to yield to brute force.

One snowy day in 691AD, China’s only female Emperor Wu Zetian had this sudden whimsical desire to view her garden in full bloom, so she issued an edict ordering all the plants to bloom during the night for her to admire during her walk the next day. Sounds like King Canute ordering the tide to recede, doesn’t it?

Only, in this tale, all the plants in the garden, awed by the power of the Wu, began to bud and bloom that night, except the peony.

Humiliated, Wu flew into a rage and banished all the peonies in the Tang capital of Chang’an to Luoyang where the peonies produced even larger and more beautiful flowers. Since then, Luoyang has been called the Home Of The Peonies.

Where To Go

In Luoyang, you can admire the peony everywhere. But for a truly spectacular sight, go to Wangcheng Park, China National Flower Garden, International Peony Garden, Xiyuan Park, Shengzhou Peony Park and Luoyang Peony Garden.

Also known as King Of The Flower Kingdom, Queen Of Flowers and First Of 10,000 Flowers, the peony is China’s national flower and a symbol of happiness and prosperity.

At the International Peony Garden, I spot, sitting in the midst of peonies in full bloom, an artist patiently sketching the flower. She says she has come all the the way from Beijing by train just to catch the peony in bloom as Luoyang is where the most beautiful flowers can be found.

It’s not just the beauty of the peony that attracts. The flower was believed to have medicinal properties. According to the Shen Nong Classic of Materia Medica (Qin Dynasty, 221-206BC), the peony has cooling effects and boosts blood circulation. It is also used to scent pastries and other dishes.