Whenever spring arrives, Hangzhou is surrounded by colorful flowers of various types as well as all kinds of floral events, among which is the Peony Exhibition in Pagoda of Six Harmonies. This year, the exhibition will last until May.

Both the peony flower and the pagoda of six harmonies are the carriers of history and culture. Peony, dubbed as both the “flower of riches and honor” and “king of flowers”, has long been an inspiration for poets and artists, and a favorite ornamental flower for the imperial family and dignitaries. While, the Pagoda of Six Harmonies, one of the best-preserved wood and brick ancient pagodas, can be dated back to 970 and was built to suppress the fiery Qiantang River tide, and is frequented for its great vantage point in which to view the spectacular Qiantang River.

       
The site where Pagoda of Six Harmonies stands used to be the garden for Wuyue Kingdom and here all kinds of peonies were cultivated. The custom of viewing peonies in the Pagoda of Six Harmonies spans a history of a thousand years.

Compared to previous years, the variety of this year’s exhibited peony is the most diverse – 18 more varieties of peony have been added as well as a further 300 sq m of field.

Apparently, the peony field in Pagoda of Six Harmonies Culture Park is near to 4000 sq m. Besides the commonly seen red peonies, yellow, blue and green colored varieties are also on show. Other activities are also introduced including “free guide commentary” and “follow the lead of masters to view peony”.

Address: 16 Zhijiang Road, Xihu District
How to get there: take bus No. 4, 287, 318, 334 or 354 to the bus stop of Pagoda of Six Harmonies (liu he ta: 六和塔)
Ticket: 20 RMB for admission plus an additional 10 RMB for ascending the pagoda (optional)