Chongqing- The Peony Cutting and Picking Base in Dianjiang County has recently become an internet sensation. Tourists from Chongqing and neighboring provinces have begun to flock there to enjoy the beautiful scenery of hillsides covered in peony blooms during the flowering season.
Only a few years ago, the community of Caohui Township, where the base is located, was marred by poverty. The grandiose efforts of rural revitalization, paired with local renown for producing medicinal herbs going back millennia, have come together to create a sustainable foundation for long-term prosperity.
On a recent visit to the base, iChongqing reporter James experienced how they cultivate millions of peony flowers yearly, from simple root cuttings in the greenhouse to planting in the fields outside, all the way through to cutting when the flower season comes to an end in early October.
During this Vlog post, James visits the greenhouse before exploring the hillsides and interacting with members of the public, many of whom dress up in elegant attire for artistic photographs among the fields of bloom.
When the flower season comes to an end, the flower stems are cut and sold to both national and international customers. At the same time, some of the roots are sold for use in Chinese medicine, whilst the remaining portions are kept for replanting in the new year.
In total, the combination of income from rural tourism, flower cutting, and Chinese medicine amounts to around 15,000 yuan per mu of land, equivalent to 0.165 acres. Supporting industries such as local restaurants, farmhouse entertainment, and guest-inns mean the peony flower has driven economic revitalization for the once impoverished local communities.