Where are the best cherry blossoms in China? Take this cherry blossom map

Cherry blossoms are a plant native to China. Wild cherry blossoms originated in the Himalayas and spread eastward to the Japanese islands tens of thousands of years ago. Later, people cultivated ornamental cherry blossoms from native Japanese cherry blossoms, which are very different from wild cherry blossoms and cherry blossoms. However, the custom of flower viewing was introduced to Japan during the Tang Dynasty and then developed by the locals.

Although ornamental cherry blossoms have been planted on a large scale in China for less than 40 years, they have swept across the country with an overwhelming momentum. Unlike the "mono no aware" temperament presented in Japan, cherry blossoms in China are blooming in a romantic and magnificent manner.

Cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Yuantouzhu Scenic Area, Taihu Lake, Wuxi, Jiangsu. Copyright image, no permission to reprint

The cherry blossom season may seem short, but in China it has become a large relay race that lasts for half a year.

As early as early December, when it was still winter in the north, the winter cherry blossoms in Yunnan were already as bright as clouds.

Dali Wuliangshan Cherry Blossom Valley. Copyright image, no permission to reprint

In March, cherry blossoms are in full bloom everywhere, playing the strongest note of spring;

Even in May, cherry blossoms can still firmly grasp the tail end of spring in North China and Northeast China.

China's online cherry blossom viewing map. Map by Sun Lu, design by Wu Jiuyang

Therefore, let us embark on a cloud-based cherry blossom viewing trip to feel the unique vitality of spring, when all things are blooming.

01

China Cherry Blossom Map:

Where are the best cherry blossoms?

Looking at the "Cloud Cherry Blossoms" on the Chinese cherry blossom map is first of all a grand journey across thousands of miles.

In East Asia, there are many romantic scenes under cherry trees, but only in China can the mountains full of cherry blossoms show the magnificent scenery.

1. Cherry blossoms hide China’s mountains and rivers

The largest cherry blossom base in the world is located in the 6,000-acre cherry blossom garden in Pingba, Guizhou .

Here, with high mountains as the distant view and Red Maple Lake as the canvas, more than 700,000 cherry blossoms of various colors are lit up, creating the most magnificent "Cherry Blossom World" on earth.

Cherry blossoms in Pingba, Gui'an New District, Guizhou. Copyright image, no permission to reprint

The arrival of cherry blossoms in China also produced a wonderful reaction with the mountain tea-growing areas.

In Zhangping, Fujian, Pingba, Guizhou... cherry blossoms are in full bloom among hundreds of acres of tea gardens. I wonder if the spring tea produced here will have a hint of cherry blossoms?

Fujian Zhangping Cherry Blossom Tea Garden. Copyright image, no permission to reprint

In Nanning, Guangxi, cherry blossoms decorate the green of the forest park; in Yuantong Mountain and Cherry Blossom Valley in Yunnan, cherry blossoms create a pink snow;

In Sichuan, the land of abundance, every spring, people run from the city to various "cherry valleys" to admire the huge cherry blossoms...

Large cherry blossom gardens covering thousands of acres are truly a feast of spring scenery. However, as a newcomer to the flower world, cherry blossoms in the mountains are not as widely distributed as peach blossoms and rape blossoms. To find beautiful cherry blossoms, you still have to go to the city.

2. Sakura Park, the most beautiful spring in the city

As long as the climate is suitable, Chinese people always think of planting some beautiful cherry blossoms in large parks. They warm up the spring in every city.

The earliest place to plant cherry blossoms on a large scale was Yuantouzhu in Wuxi. As early as the 1930s, cherry blossoms were in full bloom beside Changchun Bridge. Now, there are more than 12,000 cherry blossoms planted in Wuxi, the largest number in East China.

The cherry blossoms on Wuhan's Luojia Mountain and East Lake have long been internet celebrities that need no further mention.

Wuhan night cherry blossoms. Copyright image, no permission to reprint

But people in Changsha, Hunan, across the Dongting Lake, did not want to go to Hubei every year to see the flowers, so they spent forty years building a cherry blossom garden in the Hunan Forest Botanical Garden.

Here, China's unique Central China cherry, tail-leaf cherry, bell-flower cherry and other species are planted. Changsha citizens can finally breathe a sigh of relief, and can enjoy the beauty of flowers in full bloom without having to travel a long distance to Wuhan.

Million Cherry Blossom Garden in Changning City, Hunan Province. Copyright image, no permission to reprint

In Dali's Wuliang Mountain, Shanghai Botanical Garden, Qingdao's Zhongshan Park, Beijing's Yuyuantan... cherry blossoms bloom everywhere in the north and south, bringing spring to every city. In addition, they also decorate China's famous scenic spots and historical sites.

In Hangzhou West Lake, cherry blossoms dot the scenery of the water and mountains in the south of the Yangtze River;

At the thousand-year-old Jiming Temple in Nanjing, a pink river of cherry blossoms meanders northward, all the way to the oars and lights of Xuanwu Lake;

Cherry blossoms at Jiming Temple. Copyrighted image, unauthorized reproduction

At the Qinglong Temple and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, cherry blossoms reflect the splendor of the ancient capital, adding a touch of youthful beauty to the long years.

I can only say that I am not afraid of cherry blossoms being as beautiful as a painting, but I am afraid of cherry blossoms having culture.

However, the most beautiful cherry blossoms are still on the campus full of youth. The cherry blossoms here are just like the poem:

“You are on the bridge looking at the scenery, and the people looking at the scenery are looking at you from upstairs.”

02

The most youthful cherry blossoms

On the university's "Cherry Blossom Path"

Young boys and girls hung three-line love poems under the cherry trees; students approaching graduation wore bachelor's gowns and captured the last glimpse of their youth with cameras.

Cherry blossom viewing in colleges and universities emphasizes the unity of people and scenery - in this regard, the four major "Tongxi Wulin" sects in the cherry blossom world each have their own unique skills.

First of all, only if the campus is called "People's Park" can it become a top-notch master in the university cherry blossom world.

Therefore, Wuhan University’s “Luojiashan People’s Park”, Tongji University’s “Siping Road People’s Park”, and Xi’an Jiaotong University’s “Xingqing People’s Park” all have something to say.

The cherry blossoms at Wuhan University are characterized by the scattered buildings among the Luojia Mountains and the youthfulness of young people.

To see the cherry blossoms on the majestic Luojia Mountain, you have to measure it with your feet.

Only after climbing over the hill of despair can you see the most beautiful vase of cherry blossoms - the old residence. This is probably a metaphor for the sweet spring after the bitter.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

The cherry blossoms at Tongji University are far more than the Cherry Blossom Avenue which is only a hundred meters long.

The cherry blossom season here is lively:

The three-line love poem in the cherry blossom season, the cherry blossom food in the Half Mu Garden restaurant, the sky garden with unparalleled night views on the 13th and 19th floors of the complex building, the accordion played by the old man under the cherry blossom tree, the lazy Tongji school cat "Big Cow"...

Countless spring moments hide the romance of Tongji people conquering the entire Shanghai.

It’s no wonder that even though Shanghai has the magnificent cherry blossoms in Gucun Park and Chenshan Botanical Garden, people still prefer the cherry blossoms at Tongji University.

If I were to choose a spring romance, it would definitely be during the cherry blossom season at Tongji University.

Tongji Cherry Blossoms. Copyrighted image, unauthorized reproduction

Only after seeing the cherry blossoms at Xi’an Jiaotong University did I understand what it meant to “see all the flowers in Chang’an in one day.”

The Xingqing Campus of Xi'an University is as majestic and neat as the urban area of ​​Xi'an, with the Tengfei Tower and the Qian Xuesen Library as its center, and the Sakura West Road, Sakura East Road, Wutong West Road, and Wutong East Road neatly arranged.

Following the names, there will be no problem at all from admiring the cherry blossoms to the sycamore trees!

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

At Northwest A&F University, Huazhong Agricultural University, Nanjing Forestry University, South China Agricultural University... you can enjoy a comprehensive experience of diverse cherry blossoms.

For example, the cherry blossoms by the Xuanwu Lake in Nanlin University are extremely beautiful and quiet. They are plain and simple on sunny days, cool and refreshing when it rains, and like beauties under the moon at night.

If you are tired of cherry blossoms and want to see something else, no problem. There are nearly 400 species of spring flowers, and there is always one that will touch your heart.

In addition, there are hundreds of universities across the country competing with each other, each with its own merits.

In the colleges and universities in Kunming, Yunnan, weeping crabapples and cherry blossoms are charming; Southeast University hides spring flowers that have flourished for thousands of years;

The Laoshan Campus of Ocean University of China is the leader in cherry blossoms among northern universities...There are countless places to enjoy cherry blossoms in Chinese universities.

Campuses are also where Chinese people first developed their love for cherry blossoms. People drew cherry blossom maps, built "cherry blossom post offices," sold all kinds of cherry blossom-related products, and complained that "cherry blossoms are as beautiful as cherry blossom-flavored foods."

Yuyuantan cherry blossoms. Copyrighted image, unauthorized reproduction

Throw the romantic vision that has nowhere to go into the cherry blossoms and let it spread throughout China.

The amazing thing is that for thousands of years, cherry blossoms have remained unknown in China's flower-viewing circles. Why has the cherry blossom craze swept across China in just forty years?

03

The little transparent person in China's flower viewing world

How to become a big internet celebrity?

In the long list of flowers and plants that the ancient Chinese praised, there are plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum, which symbolize gentlemen, and peony, which symbolize wealth and auspiciousness, and cherry blossoms, which are not even considered supporting roles.

After all, cherry blossoms fade easily, just as spring is short. In comparison, cherries were quite favored by the ancients.

The cherry blossoms that ancient people admired are not the same as the cherry blossoms we enjoy today.

Whether it is "After the plum blossoms fade, cherry blossoms bloom, a light and even red", or "Remember the flowers blooming and the branches covered with snow", most of them describe mountain cherry blossoms and cherry blossoms.

Thermal distribution map of mountain cherry blossoms in China. Map by Sun Lu

So, how did ornamental cherry blossoms become popular in China?

For one, cherry blossoms are probably the most flashy of flowers.

In China, any large cherry blossom garden cannot be called a "cherry blossom viewing paradise" if it does not have more than fifty species of cherry blossoms.

From December to May of the following year, the winter cherry blossoms are the pioneers, and the early cherry blossoms, mid-season cherry blossoms and late cherry blossoms are overwhelmed, presenting a "combination punch", which is no less than a "dimensionality reduction attack" to the traditional plum blossoms, peach blossoms and rape blossoms.

In Beijing, a major cherry blossom viewing city, various varieties of cherry blossoms are blooming in an orderly manner. Designed by Wu Jiuyang

The cherry blossoms themselves also have 72 different forms. First look at the names of the flowers, such as Hikan, Yaehong, Taibai, Guanshan, and Songyue. All of them are full of literary style.

Looking at the flower shapes, there are the broom-shaped "Ame-no-kawa" and the umbrella-shaped "Pugen-sama"; in terms of flower colors, there are the white "Somei-Yoshino" and the green "Goi-ge", which are even more varied and colorful.

Cherry blossom viewing experts often develop a full set of standards based on flower shape and color, leaf shape and color, and tree shape. The level of care is no less than that of organizing a beauty pageant.

Secondly, the rise of cherry blossoms is not only due to their own efforts, but also in line with China's rapidly developing historical process.

In the autumn of 1909, Zhou Shuren, who had not yet become "Lu Xun", wrote "Ueno cherry blossoms like crimson clouds" and came to Zhejiang Two-Level Normal School (the predecessor of Hangzhou Senior High School) to teach. During this period, he often took students to collect plant specimens everywhere, hoping to compile a "Flora of West Lake".

Therefore, teachers and students of Hangzhou High School still talk about their century-old cherry trees, which were planted by Zhou Shuren himself.

Hangzhou cherry blossoms. Copyrighted image, unauthorized reproduction

This seems to be a microcosm of the century-long development of cherry blossoms in China.

In the past, cherry blossoms have always had a complex image. They are a symbol of humiliation during the period of national destruction and family ruin, and they have also become a national gift in peacetime.

China's large-scale urbanization process in the past four decades has led to a major influx of cherry blossoms into parks across the country. They are also widely used in urban greening. Who doesn't want to have a pink and tender street tree or garden tree?

From weakness to prosperity and from brilliance to warmth, China's cherry blossom season is a different kind of spring carnival.

Source: Authentic Scenery

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