Peonies are a traditional famous flower in China. In May, peonies in major parks across Beijing bloom one after another. Let's go together to appreciate the elegance and romance unique to the May flower goddess.

PART 1: Beihai Park

The beginning of summer has arrived, and the spring blossoms in Beihai Park have temporarily ceased, with only the peonies making a grand finale appearance. This moment is the best season to enjoy peonies in the park.

The peony flowerbed on the east bank is the most concentrated flower viewing area in the park, with red and pink intermingling, layers upon layers. The flowers are large like plates, blooming passionately yet not ostentatiously. A gentle breeze causes the flower shadows to sway, creating an interesting interplay with the shimmering Taiye Pool.

The peonies inside Chanfu Temple have a more ancient charm. The red walls and gray tiles frame the flower clusters. The flower shapes are divided into lotus type and crown type. The petals are soft and elegant, forming a distinctive echo with the solemn and dignified temperament of the ancient buildings.

Nearby attraction: Fangshan Teahouse

Fangshan Teahouse is located inside the Fangshan Restaurant on the north bank of Beihai Park, specializing in a variety of affordable imperial pastries. The interior decoration is classical and elegant, with bright yellow as the main color tone, creating a strong imperial atmosphere.

The shop offers a rich variety, including traditional imperial snacks such as imperial milk buns, as well as figurative pastries like walnut crisps and persimmon crisps. Classic snacks such as jujube flower crisps, pea jelly, and almond tofu are all available. The pastries are exquisite and small, mostly priced under ten yuan, suitable for sampling multiple kinds.

PART 2: Jingshan Park

As early as the Ming and Qing dynasties, Jingshan had a tradition of cultivating peonies. Today, the park has planted more than 20,000 peony plants, gathering over 300 varieties from home and abroad, featuring eight flower colors and ten flower shapes. They are mainly distributed along both sides of the main road in the front hill, south of the west gate, and both sides of the east gate.

Currently, the peonies in Jingshan have entered full bloom, with full flower shapes and colorful displays. They blend with the red walls and yellow tiles of the ancient buildings in the park, outlining an elegant Chinese garden painting. From single-petal lotus type, towering crown type, to rounded hydrangea type and pavilion type, the flower shapes vary, each with unique charm.

Nearby attraction: Longfu Temple

To the south is Confucius Temple, to the north is Longfu Temple. As a classic historical landmark in Beijing, after urban renewal and upgrading, Longfu Temple has now become a city leisure space integrating time-honored brand food, trendy lifestyle, cultural performances, and hutong check-in spots.

The park is divided into three major areas: East Courtyard, South Lane, and North Neighborhood, creating a diverse experience of shopping, sightseeing, and entertainment. The East Courtyard gathers trendy brands, flagship stores, and cultural theaters; the South Lane assembles old Beijing-style time-honored brands such as Daoxiangcun, Tongrentang, and Yaoji Chaogan; the North Neighborhood mainly features art galleries and specialty wine bars, combining an artistic atmosphere with everyday life vibrancy.

PART.3 Temple of Heaven

Since the 1960s, the Baihua Garden within the Temple of Heaven has been planting peonies and paeonias. The garden cultivates traditional famous paeonia varieties such as Ziyunu, Dafugui, and Yangfei Bathing. White, pink, and purplish-red flowers bloom in succession, with single and double petals interspersed, filling the garden with fragrance and creating a pleasant scene.

Nearby attractions: Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center

Located in Beijing's South Central Axis cultural belt, the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center regularly stages high-quality musicals, dramas, and other stage performances.

PART.4 Yuanmingyuan Park

As summer deepens, the sea of paeonias in the Yuanmingyuan Park quietly unfolds, resembling splendid brocade. The Yuanmingyuan Park has a royal tradition of planting paeonias since ancient times, and now the expanses of blooming flowers recreate the elegant ambiance of the old gardens.

Paeonias either nestle beside ancient ruins, adding gentle elegance; or decorate the lakeside shores, reflecting the sky and clouds like a painting; or hide among green trees, bringing unexpected delight upon encounter. The blooming flowers and classical garden scenery complement each other perfectly, as if stepping into a flowing Chinese Style painting scroll.

Flower viewing tips:

Best blooming period: Early to mid-May

Dressing suggestion: Light colors and new Chinese Style fashion suit photo shoots.

Viewing locations: Hongci Yonghu, Yuedi Yunjü, Changchun Xianguan, Hanjingtang.

Nearby attractions: Zhongguancun ART PARK 

Zhongguancun ART PARK is a newly emerging commercial landmark, gathering many city flagship stores and trendy brands. It brings together popular dining flagship stores such as Chili's, The Boots, GAGA, SHAKE SHACK, B&C, covering full-day business formats including meals, afternoon tea, and nighttime socializing.

At the same time, it gathers trendy clothing brands such as Alexander Wang, DIESEL, Y-3, lululemon, etc. It is a one-stop destination for food, trendy brands, and casual socializing, making it a preferred spot for shopping and check-ins.

PART.5 China National Botanical Garden

As the spring blossoms fade, peonies become the most poetic scenery of early summer. The flower colors include red, white, pink, yellow, purple, black, multicolor, salmon, champagne, and other hues. The flowers display various postures, with petals layered upon layers, naturally carrying a silky and gentle luster, pink like rosy clouds, white like piled snow.

The Peony Garden in the North Garden of China National Botanical Garden gathers more than 200 varieties and nearly ten thousand peony plants, forming a sea of flowers, currently at the best viewing season.

Flower viewing tips:

Best blooming period: The overall blooming period can last until the end of this week.

Nearby attractions: China National Botanical Garden Low Temperature Greenhouse

The China National Botanical Garden Low Temperature Greenhouse has completed its upgrade and renovation and is open to the public. The exhibition area covers about 10,000 square meters, themed on the symbiosis of animals and plants. It features three main themed areas: the Begonia Zone, the Fern Forest, and the Predator Garden. Combining ecological landscaping with multimedia technology, it popularizes knowledge about natural symbiosis.

The greenhouse is equipped with an ecological restaurant surrounded by greenery and tranquil light and shadow, creating an immersive rainforest Yunnan-flavored dining environment. Visitors can sit quietly to rest and enjoy forest-flavored meals after touring the garden.

PART.6 Fengtai Garden

In May, with a gentle breeze and lingering floral fragrance, the 2,500-plus square meter peony flower area in Fengtai Garden enters its full bloom period. Tens of thousands of peonies bloom in succession, opening the romantic prelude of early summer.

Strolling through the sea of flowers, pink, white, and bright red peonies intertwine and stagger. The pink ones are delicate and gentle, the purplish red ones noble and grand. The petals are full and plump, the flower branches sway lightly in the wind, with a faint fragrance drifting, forming a beautiful early summer painting.

Nearby attractions: Lize No.16

Lize No.16 is located in the Lize Financial Business District, accessible by multiple subway lines with convenient transportation and complete facilities. Relying on tens of thousands of square meters of green space, it creates a park-style commercial space where there is a plaza within the park and a park within the plaza. It features a rainbow track, rooftop garden, open-air dining bar, children's playground, and other leisure scenes.

The mall covers diverse formats including daily life facilities, parent-child entertainment, leisure fitness, and specialty dining. It gathers many brands such as Starbucks, McDonald's, Xiabu Xiabu, Huawei, Tongrentang, etc., suitable for daily leisure and family outings.

PART.7 Huaxiang Park

Since ancient times, flowers have flourished in Fengtai, and peonies come from Baipenyao. Located in Huaxiang Park in Baipenyao, Fengtai, over 70,000 peony plants of more than 100 varieties are planted here, making it a hidden gem for peony viewing in the capital.

As the peony blooming season ends, the peonies begin to bloom in succession. The winding paths among the flowers are fiery rose-red, jade-like pink and white, and fresh and elegant light yellow. During the peak blooming period, the sea of flowers undulates continuously, with a fragrance that refreshes the mind. Layers of petals resemble evening clouds adorning branches and brocade spreading out. No filter is needed; every casual photo captures a classical atmosphere like a masterpiece.

Nearby attractions: Flower Village

Flower Village gathers many domestic and international brand discount stores, offering considerable year-round discounts. The district features European-style architecture, and strolling here feels like being in a European town. Besides shopping, visitors can relax in the park's green spaces, making it ideal for both leisure and shopping.

PART.8 Taihu Ten-Thousand-Mu Recreation Park in Tongzhou

Within Taihu Ten-Thousand-Mu Recreation Park lies nearly fifty mu of peony flower sea, with over 20,000 peony plants planted, including double-petal ornamental varieties and single-petal medicinal varieties, mainly in pink, purple, and red, with bright and charming colors.

The flower sea is currently in full bloom, with clusters of flowers and fragrance filling the park. Layers of petals resemble rosy clouds and crimson snow, with red, white, pink, and purple interwoven into clusters, creating a splendid view. Casual photos can easily capture an atmospheric masterpiece.

Nearby attractions: NCPA Taihu Stage Art Center

The NCPA Taihu Stage Art Center is adjacent to the recreation park. Outside its south gate lies a beautiful 225-mu rapeseed flower sea. Visitors can enjoy the garden and flowers, watch professional performances, and visit the Stage Art Museum to learn about the stories behind stage art through exhibits such as stage models, prop manuscripts, and lighting installations.

Warm reminder: Due to weather changes and other reasons, the flowering period may vary. To avoid affecting your trip, it is recommended to contact the scenic area before your visit to get the latest information. We wish you a pleasant journey.

When visiting the park, be mindful: do not damage the greenery while enjoying the spring outing, do not pick flowers, do not dig wild vegetables without permission, and do not disturb or feed animals. Only with civilized park visits and respecting boundaries can the beautiful scenery be enjoyed year after year. Let us all work together to make the city not only full of accessible beauty but also deeply rooted in civilized culture.