Crabapple flowers are stunningly beautiful and are known as the "National Beauty", often referred to as "the Immortal of Flowers" and "Noble Flower", with the elegant title of "Understanding Flower". In the most beautiful days of April, crabapple trees bloom in splendid abundance. In Beijing, the best places to appreciate crabapple blossoms are the Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park, the Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling, the Wenhua Hall of the Forbidden City, Taoranting Park, and Fayuan Temple, where the vibrant red buds rise up, showcasing lively vitality during late spring.

Recommended viewing period: April to May each year, blooming successively in late spring.

Recommended viewing locations: Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park, Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling, Wenhua Hall of the Forbidden City, Taoranting Park, Fayuan Temple.

Crabapple flowers creek at the Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park

In Beijing's Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park, the Xiaoyue River flows quietly, with lush green trees lining its banks. Every year during the Qingming Festival, which coincides with the blooming of the crabapple flowers, the blossoms are captivating and vibrant. This is why Xiaoyue River has been poetically named "crabapple flowers creek".

Xiaoyue River, also known as Tuchenggou, is said to have once served as the northern moat of the Yuan Dynasty's Beijing, dividing the crabapple grove into two sections. The river, shallow and tranquil, along with the graceful weeping willows and blooming crabapple flowers on its banks, creates an ecological feast!

Crabapple flowers creek is not only a national A-level scenic spot but also home to the largest crabapple grove in Beijing. The stream is divided into East and West sections, featuring various species such as Xifu crabapple, Tiekeng crabapple, Muguo crabapple, and Chuisi crabapple, among others. There are over 5,000 crabapple trees with various breeds. The West section mainly showcases Xifu and Snowball crabapples, while the East section highlights new and superior varieties.

Standing on the city ramparts, one can still envision the gallant warriors of yore. The quietly flowing Xiaoyue River narrates tales of history, while the crabapple trees along its banks burst with vitality, expressing the joy of a new era.

Since 1998, the Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park has hosted the "Crabapple Flower Festival", which is now one of the three major flower events in Beijing's spring, alongside the Peach Blossom Festival at Xiangshan Botanical Garden and the Cherry Blossom Festival at Yuyuantan Park.

Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling

The tradition of appreciating crabapple flowers at Song Qingling's Former Residence has a long history. When the two nearly 300-year-old Xifu crabapple trees in the courtyard bloom profusely, it marks the beginning of the Crabapple Culture Festival.

Located at 46 Beiyan, Houhai, in Beijing's Xicheng District, the residence was built during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty and later served as the garden of Prince Chun's residence. Each year, around April 10, the two Xifu crabapple trees bloom, creating a breathtaking scene that dazzles visitors.

During her lifetime, Song Qingling often invited friends to enjoy the flowers when they bloomed. When the fruit ripened, she would make crabapple jam and share it with her staff.

As time passes and she is no longer here, the two Xifu crabapple trees continue to thrive, bursting with vitality in spring, lush greenery in summer, abundant fruit in autumn, and a promise of beauty in winter. Today, the annual Crabapple Flower Culture Festival at her residence has become an excellent destination for people to enjoy spring outings and remember this great figure.

Wenhua Hall in the Forbidden City

When the 600-year-old Forbidden City meets the spring time of April, its beauty leaves people speechless. At this time, the most stunning aspect of the palace is not the buildings themselves, but the array of colorful flowers surrounding them. Crabapple trees are among the most widely planted court flowers and are the most vibrant of all the blossoms in the Forbidden City.

Today, there are many places to admire crabapple flowers in the Forbidden City, but those outside Wenhua Hall are particularly captivating. Perhaps influenced by the scholarly atmosphere, the crabapple blossoms here appear like a splendid sea of colorful clouds, enhanced by the backdrop of red walls and yellow tiles, adding a touch of liveliness. Historical records indicate that the crabapple trees in front of Wenhua Hall date back 120 years to the late Qing Dynasty. Later, the people of the Forbidden City extensively planted crabapples from Xiehe Gate to the area south of Donghua Gate, creating the magnificent sea of crabapple flowers we see today.

Taoranting Park

In the eyes of poets and painters, crabapple flowers are charming yet not delicate, symbolizing happiness and auspiciousness. During the Tang Dynasty, Prime Minister Jia Dan praised crabapples as "immortals among flowers" in his work "Baihua Pu" (The Compendium of Flowers), dating back to the Zhenyuan period (785-805 AD).

Crabapples have historical significance in Xuan Nan, and Taoranting Park, as a cultural hub of Xuan Nan, has been hosting a spring flower viewing festival centered around crabapples every April since 2011, coinciding with their blooming season.

In April, the park's shallow lake flows gently, while the green shade of weeping willows and the red crabapple blossoms together create a vibrant and colorful "sea of crabapple flowers." As you stroll through Taoranting Park, you'll find trees bursting with blossoms, exuding fragrance and poetry, filling the garden with a sense of beauty and life.

Fayuan Temple

During the Qing Dynasty, many temples planted crabapple trees, making them popular spots for Beijing residents to enjoy the blossoms in spring. Fayuan Temple, now famous for its lilacs, was once widely known for its crabapple flowers.

Also known as Minzhong Temple, Fayuan Temple is located at the southern end of Jiaozihutong and is one of the oldest existing Buddhist temples in Beijing. From the late Qianlong to the Jiaqing period, Fayuan Temple was renowned for its crabapple trees. Lin Zexu even mentioned visiting Fayuan Temple to see the crabapples in his diary on the seventh day of the fourth month in the twenty-first year of Jiaqing (1816).

Fayuan Temple encapsulates half of Chinese history! Between its halls and pavilions, you can see the traces of history etched over time. Today, while crabapples may not be as famous as lilacs, they still offer their own delightful fragrance. On sunny spring days, wandering along the fragrant paths of the ancient temple, you find yourself surrounded by blossoming trees, with the majestic halls creating an ethereal atmosphere, as if you’ve entered a fairyland.