卷二 牡丹

 

牡丹花色艳丽，形象高雅，象征着和平与繁荣，因而在中国被称为“花中之王”。中国许多地方都培育和种植牡丹。千百年来，创造了许多诗歌和绘画赞美牡丹。唐代时期，牡丹在皇家园林普遍种植并被誉为国花，因而特别风行。十世纪时，洛阳古城成为牡丹栽培中心，而且这一地位一直保持到今天。现在，成千上万的国内游客蜂拥到洛阳参加一年一度的牡丹节，欣赏洛阳牡丹的独特之美，同时探索九朝古都的历史。

 

Peony flowers are colourful and elegant, symbolizing peace and prosperity; so they are called ‘the king of flowers’ in China. For thousands of years, a large number of poems and paintings have been created in praise of it. During the Tang dynasty, peonies were widely planted in the royal gardens and it was praised as the national flower. Therefore, it was particularly popular. By the 10th century, the ancient city of Luoyang had become the center of peony cultivation and this status remains to this day. Nowadays, thousands of visitors flock to Luoyang to attend the annual Peony Festival where they can admire the unique beauty of peonies and explore the history of the ancient capital of the nine dynasties.