Heze, China: A Flower That Vitalizes A City

HEZE, China, April 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Information Office of the Heze Municipal People's Government has announced that in April, the 2021 World Peony Conference, the 30th Heze International Peony Cultural Tourism Festival, and the 2021 Heze Cultural Tourism Development Conference will kick off in Heze, Shandong province. The peony heritage of Heze will once again amaze visitors from all over the world. Heze is known as the Peony Capital of China. Its peony industry has developed in a multi-faceted way, producing a range of peony-based merchandise such as ornamentals, medicines and health products. Additionally, peony-themed creative and cultural output, such as peony flowers, peony print silk and traditional Chinese peony flower paper-cutting, is also flourishing.

There are nine ornamental peony gardens in Heze, the more notable including the Caozhou Peony Garden, the Baihua Peony Garden and the Chinese Peony Garden. During the peony blooming season, the Caozhou Peony Garden attracts nearly 5,000 visitors daily.

Heze has a peony cultivation history dating back over 1,500 years, and it has developed into the largest base for peony production, export and observation, with the most varieties of peony flowers, in the world. Currently, Heze peonies include nine color systems, 10 bloom types and 1,259 varieties. Cultivation of ornamental peonies in Heze covers some 50,000 mu, mainly peony varieties more suitable for gardens, pot plants and fresh-cut flowers to meet modern market demand for parks and gardens, as well as for flower arrangements.

Heze focuses on developing a whole industry chain of peonies and achieving comprehensive development. The peony sector currently provides more than 100,000 jobs in Heze, covering the gamut from peony cultivation to processing and sales. There have been more than 240 peony cosmetic products, personal hygiene products and food products developed, making it China's largest export base of peony flowers and associated products.

The Heze Government launched the Blooming World Peony Series Awards to further promote the development of the peony industry and peony culture and art. During May this year, awards will be presented for the Peony Themed Art Competition, Calligraphy Competition, Photography Competition, and Cultural Creative Design Competition in the peony culture and art category, as well as for the Peony Show Competition, Peony Scientific Innovation, and Peony Industry Business Model Innovation in the peony industry development category.

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Caption: 2021 World Peony Conference

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Caption: Ornamental peonies in Heze

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Caption: Processing of peony flower stamens

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Caption: Peony-themed creative and cultural products