On April 11, 2025, during the grand Heze Peony Festival, International Exchange and Cooperation Office of Heze University organized foreign teachers from Russia, New Zealand and other countries to visit Caozhou Peony Garden. They witnessed the elegance of peonies, appreciated their beauty as the national flower, savored the charm of the culture, shared friendship with interactive experience, and felt the profound heritage of Chinese traditional culture.
Caozhou Peony Garden is now in its prime flowering season, with over a thousand varieties such as Yao Huang and Wei Zi blooming in full force, creating a sea of flowers. Foreign teachers strolled through the garden, pausing from time to time to take pictures and marvel at the peonies' regal beauty. During the event, cultural guides interpreted the symbolic meanings of peonies in poetry and painting, as well as the thousand-year cultivation history of Heze City as the Capital of Chinese Peonies .
While enjoying the flowers, foreign teachers also participated in cultural interactions themed on peonies, such as experiencing the creation of peony ink paintings and tasting peony flower tea. Yanina from Belarus said, "Peony is not just a kind of flower, but also a symbol of beauty and prosperity in Chinese culture. This activity has enabled me to have a deeper understanding of the aesthetic and spiritual pursuits of the Chinese people."
After the activity, foreign teachers have expressed their intention to share the beauty of Heze peonies with family and friends, promote peony culture, and attract more attention to traditional Chinese culture.
It is the right time to enjoy flowers in spring, and we sincerely invite guests from all over the world to enjoy the peony in Heze !
(Picture/Writing：International Exchange and Cooperation Office of Heze University)
