Peony cultural tourism festival opens, connecting Shandong with globe
(chinadaily.com.cn)| Updated : 2025-04-09
Print PrintThe 2025 World Peony Conference and the 34th Heze International Peony Cultural Tourism Festival kick off in Heze, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Heze, Shandong is renowned as the "Peony Capital of China" with a long history of cultivating peonies and the reputation of having the "best peonies in the world".
The 2025 World Peony Conference and the 34th Heze International Peony Cultural Tourism Festival kicked off in Heze, Shandong province on April 8. Events will last for a month, coinciding with the blooming seasons of peonies and peony relatives, offering visitors a continuous floral feast.
The festival includes four sub-forums and 29 activities, covering tourism, industry development, cultural exhibitions, and academic exchanges, aiming to present the beauty of peonies and the city. The event attracted guests from home and abroad including experts, representatives of international organizations in China and envoys from multiple countries in China. Additionally, it also included a live broadcast of the festival's sub-venues in Chongqing and South Korea.
In recent years, Heze has developed a comprehensive peony industry, becoming the world's largest base for peony planting, research, export, and tourism. The festival not only celebrates the peony's natural elegance but also serves as a platform for international cooperation. Through cultural exchange and industrial collaboration, the event underscores Heze's vision of turning its peony legacy into a global cultural and economic asset.