Today it's hard to imagine that Luoyang was once the centre of the Chinese universe, the Eastern Capital of the great Tang dynasty and home to over 1300 Buddhist temples. The city endured a sacking in the 12th century by Juchen invaders from which it never quite recovered. For centuries the city languished with only memories of greatness, its population dwindling to a mere 20, 000 inhabitants by the 1920s. Now Luoyang resembles other fume-laden modern towns in China, with choking air pollution, roaring streets, ample concrete and scant evidence of a once-great citadel. It is also a city of peony.
Luoyang Peony Festival
Peony (mǔ dān 牡丹) is the city flower of Luoyang city. The ostensible goal of the annual Luoyang Peony Festival is to celebrate the beauty and charm of the peony. The broader goal with the festival is to promote the widespread cultivation of this beautiful plant, and, indirectly, to promote cultural exchange among peoples the world over, through a shared interest. If you happen to visit Luoyang for your private tour of China during the Luoyang Peony Festival, you should not miss the chance to watch the various kinds of peony.
Luoyang Peony Festival is Luoyang National Peony Garden, located in the town of Mongshan on the outskirts of Luoyang. Luoyang National Peony Garden covers an area of roughly 1/3 square kilometres, an area which is planted with over 400 peony varieties, many of which are native to countries beyond China's borders, a deliberate aim of the garden and the festival, given Luoyang International Peony Garden's broader objective. Each year from mid-April to mid-May, the peonies in the garden in Mongshan Town are in full bloom, generally reaching their peak during the period April 15th-25th, which is the date set for the annual festival. From mid-April to Luoyang National Peony Gardenmid-May each year, the garden is awash with colorful flowers – mostly reds mixed with whites, yellows and purples – set against a background of thick, vibrant, dark green leaves, like a myriad of precious stones set in bright, shiny rings.
The Luoyang Peony Festival is very popular among Chinese tourists and among peony enthusiasts the world over, but do stay away from Luoyang during the festival unless the aim of your visit to the city is expressly to see the peonies, for with hotel rooms filling up fast, the prices rise accordingly.
Location: Ji Chang Road, Luoyang City
Tel: 0379-62261024
Transportation: Bus No.27, 51, 83 directly go to Luoyang National Peony Garden.
Opening Hours (Peony florescene): 5: 30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m., April 5 - May 10
Admission Fee: CNY30 (CNY55 for each during the festival)
Tip: Although the peonies are beautiful, please be a civilized tourist and do not pick the flowers.
For more information about Luoyang Peony Festival, you can contact with China tour agents.
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