The gracious peony at "palaces" in Xi'an

Among all its peers, the peony probably blooms the most gracefully. Accompanied by ancient buildings as the background, the peony sea exerts a profound historic charm. 

Xingqing Palace Park

Recently, the peony sea in front of the Chenxiang Pavilion of Xingqing Palace Park has attracted various visitors. The peonies planted this year contain dozens of varieties and the planting area reaches about 5,600 square meters.

The peonies in Xingqing Palace Park boast not only glamorous shapes but also splendid colors. It seems all kinds of peonies are participating in a beauty pageant, highlighting the charm of spring in this historical park.

Since ancient times in China, the peony has been favored by various literati because of its graceful and fragrant characteristics, even regarded as the "king of flowers" in traditional Chinese culture. Peonies were widely planted in Chang'an City during the Tang Dynasty. In each peony blooming season, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang would take concubine Yang Yuhuan to enjoy peonies at the Chenxiang Pavilion of Xingqing Palace.

Daming Palace National Heritage Park

On the north bank of the Taiye Lake of Daming Palace, the peony sea travels through history, forming a featured cultural landscape.

The magnificent peonies and the ancient ruins in the Daming Palace resonate with each other. The peonies are in full bloom with layers of petals, dazzling the people with their saturated colors.