at the Xixi Wetland National Park By Yun Hefeng （Reader）
By Gu Yi
In history, especially in the Southern Song Dynasty, it was a tradition to celebrate the Flower Festival in spring in Hangzhou. Strongly recommended by Hangzhou Culture of Ancient Capital Research Association in recent years, Hangzhou Municipal Government decided to bring the tradition back and the very first Hangzhou Xixi Flower Festival will be held between 9th Apr. and 18th May at the Xixi Wetland National Park.
Traditionally the flower festivals were helded on the 15th day of the 2nd month in the lunar calendar as it was said to be the birthday of the Goddess of Hundreds of Flowers. However, 4th Apr. this year will be the 7th day of the third month in the lunar calendar and should be the most blossoming season for all the spring flowers in Hangzhou.
Please see below some highlights of the activities happening in Xixi Wetland Park during the first Flower Festival:
Opening Ceremony of Flower Festival
Date: 9th Apr.
It consists of three parts: opening speech, pageant and flower dynasty experience. 12 flower wagons decorated under the theme of the flower of the month will have a pageant in the park. The flowers of the month are respectively plum for January, apricot for February, peach for March, peony for April, pomegranate for May, lotus for June, Crape Myrtle for July, Osmanthus for August, chrysanthemum for September, Hibiscus for October, camellia for November and daffodil for December. Some bicycles will be decorated as a part of the pageant to promote the concept of green transportation.
Xixi Flower Fair
Date: from 9th Apr. to 17th Apr.
A potted flower exhibition will be displayed on the grassland in the middle section of Green Causeway in the wetland park on 9th-17th Apr. 10 well-known florists, flower companies and private collectors will bring 50-80 special flowers and flower arrangement for display.
If you have a beautiful pot of flower at home please bring it to the contest held in Leisure Village in the middle section of Green Causeway on 9th-10th Apr.
Lectures on art of flowers and flower culture will be
held in Xixi Hall of Baijialou on 16th-17th Apr.
Romance of Xixi
Date: from 9th Apr. to 18th May
Promotional activities will be held in Xixi wetland park for wedding photo shooting during the flower festival. Meanwhile, matching and socializing activities will be held for the singles. A group wedding ceremony will be held as well as a part of the closing ceremony of the flower festival.
Blossoming in Xixi
Date: from January to April
In order to cover the wetland park as well as its neighbourhood with flowers before the flower festival, the four main entrances as well as the Green Causeway, Fortune Causeway, Hechu Street and Jiangcun Market will all be decorated with spring flowers. A project to cover main roads of the extension of Tianmushan Road, Zijingang Road, Wensanxi Road and Wenerxi Road with flowers is undergoing at the same time.
Xixi Fun Fair
Date: from 9th Apr. to 8th May
Flower Dynasty Food Festival will be held on 9th-17th Apr. on Hechu Street and Jiangcun Market. Traditional food with flower themes will be available for all visitors. From 1st May to 8th May, more traditional folk activities will be happening in Jiangcun Market, such as setting off Goddess of Flower lanterns from the waterfront terrace, performance of Shaoxing opera on the stage. (Translated by E.C. Hick)