In Heze City, renowned as China's peony capital, Baihua Garden shelters a living relic of botanical splendor: a 400-year-old peony believed to date back to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Standing 2.6 meters tall with a sprawling 4-meter canopy, this 'queen of peonies' was once appraised at 6 million yuan (approximately $820,000), blending horticultural grandeur with rich cultural heritage.
The plant symbolizes Heze's centuries-old peony cultivation legacy, which today fuels a thriving industry generating over 10 billion yuan annually. Local experts note its resilience through dynastic changes, offering insights into historical agricultural practices and the symbolic role of peonies in Chinese art and literature as emblems of prosperity and nobility.
For travelers and cultural enthusiasts, the peony's annual spring bloom has become a major draw, bolstering regional tourism. Researchers and botanists also flock to study its unique genetics and longevity, while diaspora communities celebrate it as a living connection to ancestral traditions.
As CGTN's Li Yiqing explores in her upcoming feature, the 'queen' stands as a testament to nature's endurance, transcending time to inspire art, commerce, and scientific curiosity across generations.
