By Florence Gump
In Chinese flower culture, people often endow flowers with their own ideals and aspirations, as well as the noble qualities they admire, and then treat the flowers like people. Therefore, throughout China’s thousands of years of history, certain flowers have always carried deep cultural symbolism for the Chinese people, embodying national identity, artistic muse and philosophical ideals. The flower I would like to introduce here is revered in China as the “King of Flowers”, whose petals tell stories of imperial grandeur, poetic fervor and the eternal human pursuit of beauty. It is the tree peony.
The peony tree’s journey in China began more than 2,000 years ago, when it was first mentioned in the Han Dynasty for its medicinal properties in “Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing” (Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic, a classic of traditional Chinese medicine). Its roots, valued for their blood-cooling and pain-relieving properties, are still a cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine. However, the transformation of the peony from an apothecary staple to a cultural icon began during the Tang Dynasty. With its lush and exquisite blooms symbolizing national prosperity, the peony became the most revered flower of the Tang Dynasty, one of the most powerful empires in China’s history. At that time, the greatest poets in Chinese history spared no effort to praise the peony in their works. It was said that when the peonies bloomed, an entire city went into a frenzy. People from all walks of life flock to admire their beauty. The peony left its status as a mere garden ornament behind and became a symbol of wealth, prosperity and high social standing.
Peonies and Butterfly, Xu Chongsi (active 11th century), The Freer Gallery of Art Collection
This admiration reached its peak during the reign of Wu Zetian, China’s only female emperor. Legend has it that in order to enforce her heavenly mandate, she ordered that all flowers should bloom at the same time at a winter banquet. But only the tree peony defied her, as its roots were anchored in natural cycles rather than the whims of power. Enraged, Emperor Wu ordered the peony to be burned and its remains banished to Luoyang. To the emperor’s astonishment, the peony sprouted again after the burnt roots had been transferred to the new soil, and in spring, crimson flowers defiantly unfurled — with their beauty unchanged. In awe of its unwavering moral integrity, people paid tribute to it, calling it the “peony with a burnt bone” and honoring it as the king of flowers. In the writings of poets, the tree peony was already celebrated as a flower known for its national beauty and heavenly fragrance.
The timeless allure of the tree peony has long been a source of inspiration for Chinese artists. In traditional Chinese literature, painting, drama, handicrafts, decorative arts and various forms of artistic expression, the tree peony is a recurring motif. It has been endowed with increasingly rich and beautiful symbolic meanings in Chinese culture, epitomizing wealth and prosperity, beauty and elegance as well as nobility and integrity. The peony occupies such an extraordinary position in Chinese culture that, although it has no official title, it is considered China’s national flower in the hearts of many Chinese people.
Carved red lacquer round tray with peony design, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Collection of the Palace Museum
Today, the Chinese culture of the tree peony is thriving through innovation and preservation. Especially in Luoyang, the legendary site where the tree peony was once banished, the flower has become an iconic cultural emblem and has made the city famous all over the world. Every year in April, when the peonies are in full bloom, the Peony Cultural Festival of Luoyang China is celebrated here with a variety of peony-themed activities. Visitors can wander freely through the sea of peony blossoms and enjoy their incomparable beauty.
May the beauty of tree peonies embellish your sweet dreams.
