Written by: dahe.cn
Posted on: May 29, 2018 | 
| 中文
The Peony Culture Festival of Luoyang
The ancient Chinese people were fond of peonies and regarded this flower as a cultural symbol, so peony has been a cultural component in Chinese people’s daily life for thousands of years. In one of the birthplaces of Chinese peony flower, the former “The Peony Fair of Luoyang China” has been upgraded to “The Peony Culture Festival of Luoyang China,” which has been selected as a Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Now that spring is here, peony “the king of flowers,” blossoms again. The flower manifests its unique charm in a brand new way. Luoyang, a city of Henan Province that enjoys a history of thousands of years, shines in the spring sunlight and the peony blossoms thrive like a carpet of brocade. The Peony Culture Festival of Luoyang makes the city flourish with new energy.
36 years ago, when China began its reform and opening policies, Luoyang held its first Peony Fair. Last year, several major national strategies, including Zhengzhou-Luoyang-Xinxiang Self-Dependent Innovation Demonstration Area and China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, were carried out in Luoyang. The City of Peony began to play its unique “symphony” of peonies.
Luoyang has the best land for growing flowers, and peony is its biggest wonder. The cultivation of peony in Luoyang started in the Sui Dynasty (581?618, AD), thrived in the Tang Dynasty, and peaked in the Song Dynasty. In the past 36 years, the Peony Fair has grown from a city level to a provincial level and finally to a national level. During this period, the mere appreciation of flowers has gradually developed to attract friendship, business, and trade. The economic, cultural, ecological, and social developments of Luoyang have come to an all-round blossom. After all these years, the glamour and charm of the Festival has become increasingly dazzling. The Festival also gives births to several industrial chains, such as peony painting, cake, porcelain, tea, liquor, cosmetics, etc.
Last year, based on the existing foundation and following the trends, Luoyang City proposed building a modern industrial system. At the same time, they strived to develop five special industries including the peony industry. Meanwhile, the government issued a specific implementation plan for promoting the development of peony industry, and improving the strategies of developing the industry, by developing the oil extraction of peony, further processing of peony, and peony cultural industry.
Though the flowers may look alike every year, the festival is different. It is innovation that makes the festival everlasting. Once a mere flower exhibition activity, China’s first regional beauty pageant, “The Peony Lady” has now become a model tour around Luoyang city. From the Peony Lantern Festival to the one-month outdoor carnival, “Songs of Louyang Henan” from “Ten-Thousand-Performer Taiji,” to a tour of the reserved performances of the Ministry of Culture and a world tour of stamps; from an economy and trade fair to a robot and A.I. equipment exposition. The innovation of form, content, and ideas enriches the meaning of the festival and makes sure it remains ahead of its times.
From the beginning, when the government held a special fair, to a later time when the fair was organized for the market, and then to the present day, when more festival activities have taken over, people are fully encouraged to join the Festival. Professional organizations bring with them their advantages of organizing such activities, and such gradual innovation of the market mechanism stimulates the “vital power” that makes the Festival standardized, professionalized, and market-oriented. The peony show, a mere flower show in the past, now thrives with a growing prosperity and an expanding market, by developing a “flower economy” into a “national cultural festival.”
The gradual expansion of the Peony Cultural Festival not only brings Luoyang an exclusive “golden month of tourism,” but also builds a dazzling cultural brand and a platform for the city.
Translated by Zhu Siyu
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