Heze Peony Town, rooted in its heritage as the “Hometown of Flowers,” seamlessly blends over a thousand years of peony culture with modern cultural tourism. Covering 300 acres at its core, the town bursts into a spectacular sea of blooms each spring, showcasing more than 300 peony varieties—including rare and enchanting cultivars like “Wei Zi” and “Yao Huang.”
Visitors can immerse themselves in hands-on experiences such as floral art workshops and peony tea ceremonies, crafting their own sachets or bookmarks from fresh petals and connecting with the poetic legacy of China’s “national beauty and heavenly fragrance.”
The town features three distinct themed zones:
- The Peony Theme Park pairs classical-style architecture with flower-lined corridors. As dusk falls, hundreds of lanterns illuminate the floral landscape, casting a dreamlike glow across the gardens.
- The Folk Culture Street revives the historic ambiance of old Heze, featuring live demonstrations of intangible cultural heritage crafts—such as traditional shadow puppetry and peony lantern-making—that captivate onlookers.
- The Craft Experience Zone hosts a peony embroidery studio where skilled artisans dye silk threads with natural pigments extracted from petals, weaving tradition into contemporary textile art.
Peony cultivation in Heze dates back to the Tang Dynasty, when the famed poet Bai Juyi penned the lines: “Peonies smile beneath the warm sun; willows brush lightly through misty rain.” To honor this legacy, the town has created the “Peony Culture Corridor,” combining physical exhibits with digital interactivity to trace the flower’s evolution—from the classic opera *The Peony Pavilion* to modern floral design.
Each year during the third lunar month, the town transforms into a vibrant hub for the Peony Cultural Festival. Thousands gather for spring outings amid blooming fields, where traditional lion dances intertwine with dazzling light shows—a celebration that turns an ancient floral tradition into a dynamic cultural and tourism spectacle.
