Heze city in the eastern province of Shandong is known as the "peony capital of China." Besides its ornamental value, the plant has also been used in Chinese medicine for nearly two thousand years. In recent years, the city has been using its expertise in peonies to create more wealth and jobs. Zhou Yixin reports.
The cultivation of peonies in China has a long and storied history. During the Tang Dynasty, an era known for prosperity and art, there were many literary works created about the beautiful flower. Because of this, they tend to have a special place in the hearts of many Chinese, who equate them with auspiciousness, happiness, and prosperity.
Zhou Yixin, Heze, Shandong Province "Besides having ornamental value and significant historical and cultural symbolisms, peonies have also generated commercial worth. Heze's development of the peony deep processing industry has been creating economic benefits for the region."
Heze is the world's largest peony planting base, with an annual output of 10 million ornamental peony seedlings, which are exported to more than 30 countries and regions. In recent years, with modern technology, peony deep-processing enterprises have been developing a series of products.
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