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Beijing is finally thawing out, but many tourist spots in central and south China are already a month or more ahead of us as we finally venture outdoors.

Luoyang, a small city known in China as "The Capital of Nine Dynasties," will hold the annual Luoyang International Peony Tourism Festival from April 8 to May 8.

Though the city today is not quite what it was in the days of its youth, the majority of its best sights are still remnants of its past.

Blossoming attraction

Beautiful and fragrant, the mudan (peony) is a symbol of happiness and prosperity in China, as well as the country's national flower.

Ever since the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Luoyang peonies have been renowned for their noble beauty. Every year, in the middle of April, the peonies bloom all over the city.

There are many stories 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 691, Empress Wu Zetian issued an edict on a whim to ask all the flowers in her garden to bloom during the night for her walk the next day. Awed by the power of the empress, all the plants in her garden began to bud and bloom that night, except the peonies; The empress flew into a rage and had all the peonies in the Tang capital of Chang'an "banished" to Luoyang. However, the peonies took root in Luoyang and even larger and more beautiful flowers were produced. Since then, Luoyang has been called the Home of the Peonies.

Over the past years, thanks to improvements in the technology of peony cultivation, the flower has multiplied from the previous 100 species to more than 700 species today. Their colors range from red, pink, purple, lavender and white to green, yellow, maroon and even black.

Since 1983, Luoyang has held the peony tourism festival, which provides visitors a better opportunity to admire the flower, and the festival has become a regular international gathering.

Longmen grottoes

The Longmen Grottoes include 1,352 caves, more than 100,000 statues, 40 pagodas and 3,600 tablets with Buddhist inscriptions. The area is an exceptional treasure and gallery of Chinese Buddhist art.

People began making the carvings in the 5th century when the Wei Dynasty (386-534) moved its capital from Datong (where they created the famous Yungang Grotto) to Luoyang. At this time, Chinese Buddhism was reaching its first peak. But constructions of more than half of the works seen today in the grotto date back to the Tang Dynasty.

One day is not really sufficient to see all the caves, if you are a real enthusiast or expert on Buddhist culture.

Open: 8 AM to 6 PM

How to get there: The caves are 12 kilometers south of Luoyang City. From the railway station, bus No 81 goes to the caves directly for 2 yuan (24 US cents). During the tourism seasons, there are many tourist mini buses running to the caves, which also cost 2 yuan (24 US cents). Taxis are available and usually cost 20 yuan (US$2.50) to 30 yuan (US$4).

Entrance: 25 yuan (US$3)

Baima (White Horse) Temple

Baima Temple is one of oldest Buddhist temples in China.

Legend has it that white horses carried the first scriptures from India to this spot in 68 AD, hence the name (meaning White Horse Temple) and the prevalence of horse statues throughout the entire area.

The temple was initially built to house two statues and the sutra books the explorers on horseback brought back with them from India.

Inside, the temple complex is refreshingly peaceful and leafy with a large statue of Sakyamuni dominating the main hall. The most charming aspect of the place, is that it is one of the few remaining working temples in the city.

Open: 8 AM to 6 PM

How to get there: The Temple is 12 kilometers east of Luoyang City. From the railway station, there are minibuses to the temple for 3 yuan (36 US cents).

Entrance: 18 yuan (US$2)

How to get Luoyang City:

There is no direct flight from Beijing to Luoyang. Luoyang Airport is located 13 kilometers northwest of the city. Travelers from Beijing and Shanghai should fly to Zhengzhou and travel to Luoyang by highway in under two hours.

Train is the most common way to travel to Luoyang, a major stop on the Beijing to Chengdu, Chongqing or Xiangfan railway lines. Direct trains are available from Beijing (12 hours). The railway station is about 3 kilometers from the city center and can be reached in less than 10 minutes by taxi from most destinations in Luoyang.

Accommodations:

Although not a big city by Chinese standards, the establishment of the tourism industry has allowed the city a wealth of options regarding accommodation. Most of the hotels in Luoyang are located in the city with convenient access to most of the tourist attractions and commercial centers.

Peony City Hotel is a four-star hotel with both convenient and good facilities. Rooms range from 200 yuan (US$25) to 400 yuan (US$50) for a standard room.

The New Friendship Hotel, Peony Hotel and the Dajia Hotel are relatively cheaper and still offer convenient services.

(Beijing Weekend April 2, 2005)