We all know that Luoyang peony is the best in the world, but now there are many cities planting peony, but why is Luoyang Peony so popular?
First of all, there are three peony cities in Chinese history. Chang'an, Luoyang, Heze.
Peony, formerly a wild shrub in Shaanxi, Sichuan, Shandong, Henan, Tibet, Yunnan and other mountainous areas, is scattered on the hillside and forest edge at an altitude of about 1500 meters. The cultivation of peony in China can be traced back to more than 2000 years ago. In 1972, the medical slips found in the tomb of Kuang of Eastern Han Dynasty in Wuwei, Gansu Province, recorded that peony was used as medicine.
Changan Peony
From the beginning of transplanting Peony from Shanxi in the early Tang Dynasty to the prosperity of peony in Chang'an in the middle Tang Dynasty, it is the beginning of enjoying peony and peony culture. The popularity of Chang'an peony presents an irrational attitude. From the first "qingpingdiao" in the prosperous Tang Dynasty to the peony culture blooming in Chang'an in the middle Tang Dynasty, and finally the peony in Chang'an in the late Tang Dynasty, it is not a long history Chang'an peony finished his opening, wrote down his full stop, and did everything in his way.
But with the destruction of Chang'an city at the end of Tang Dynasty, Chang'an, the absolute center of peony, disappeared, just like a fireworks show.
However, peony, as a kind of rare ornamental plant, was well known all over the world. At that time, some separatist forces and dignitaries planted it, and some temples were gradually spreading. Peony entered a more stable state of communication and development. As a historical and cultural phenomenon, Chang'an peony in Tang Dynasty is only popular and beautiful in Tang poetry. In terms of this historical phenomenon, Chang'an peony in Tang Dynasty is a race between itself and itself. In the prosperous Tang Dynasty, only Chang'an could see the elegance of peony.
A total of 209 Poems (groups) with peony were searched in the Tang Poetry Library, among which 85 poems were related to Chang'an and only 1 poem was found in Luoyang.
Why did peony turn into 'Luoyang flower' later? In addition to the unique variety of peony in Luoyang after the Song Dynasty, there are two reasons that make it more famous: one is related to Wu Zetian, the other is related to Ouyang Xiu, a great writer of the Song Dynasty. The former is a novelist's theory, while the latter is a historian's theory.
Luoyang Peony
In history, the prosperity of Luoyang peony was after the decline of Tang Dynasty. During the Northern Song Dynasty, Chang'an was no longer the capital of the country. The political and economic centers of the whole country were transferred to Luoyang and Kaifeng. At this time, another great literary scholar Ouyang Xiu wrote a preface to Luoyang peony, in which he praised Luoyang Peony greatly, which was equivalent to making a wonderful 'advertisement' for Luoyang peony. From then on, Luoyang peony was really famous in the world. Ouyang Xiu said in Luoyang Peony story: "Peony comes from Danzhou (Yichuan, Shaanxi), Yanzhou (Yan'an), Qingzhou (Weifang) in the East, Yuezhou (Shaoxing) in the south, and Luoyang is now the best in the world. It can be seen that Luoyang Peony began to shine in the Song Dynasty.
Coincidentally, during the period of song, Jin and Mongolia in Luoyang, peony suffered twice: one was when the Jin Dynasty destroyed the Northern Song Dynasty, the Jin army poisoned the Central Plains and burned Luoyang; the other was when the Mongolia destroyed the Jin Dynasty, the Mongolian army slaughtered more than 100 cities and thousands of miles. In the history of peony, they are called 'Jingkang Huanan' and 'Duanping Huanan'.
The artificial cultivation of Luoyang Peony began in the Sui Dynasty, flourished in the Tang Dynasty, and was the best in the Northern Song Dynasty. Later, with the transfer of the political center and the destruction of Luoyang's famous gardens, Sichuan Tianpeng peony became prosperous in the Southern Song Dynasty. Most of the more than 60 varieties listed in Lu You's Tianpeng peony are introduced from Luoyang. In Ming Dynasty, many peonies from Bozhou, Anhui Province were introduced from Luoyang. In Qing Dynasty, Caozhou peony replaced Bozhou peony, and Luoyang Peony directly or indirectly had a certain relationship with Caozhou peony, which shows the spread and influence of Luoyang peony.