China does not have an "official" national flower, but the tree peony can be regarded as a national favorite. The tree peony (mudan) received the most votes in a survey conducted in 1994 in every district in China asking people to select a National Flower ? a high honor for the peony in a country that loves flowers.

Each spring Henan Province?s city of Luoyang ? the capital of several Chinese dynasties in central China ? holds a 10-day peony festival and trade show (April 15-25). Varieties of peonies from overseas are displayed besides the some 600 varieties of peonies developed in Luoyang itself.

But many cities in China hold flower festivals in which the peony is featured. During the Chinese lunar New Year celebrations in Shanghai this year, for instance, some 400,000 flowers including hyacinths, cyclamens and tree peonies from China, Europe and Japan were on display at that city?s flower trade show and market.

For further information on the peony itself, much information is available on the web.

(China.org.cn, June 13, 2002)