Penoy and a Chinese fan painted with a peony. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Peony

The great Chinese poet Li Bai, from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), once compared concubine Yang Yuhuan's beautiful face to blooming peonies in his famous poem Qing Ping Diao. "Floating clouds remind me of her clothes, and peonies her face," he wrote.

Flowering in May, peonies' large petals and strong colors are linked to prosperity and richness in traditional Chinese culture. Thus, it became very popular during the Tang Dynasty, a period of time when Chinese people preferred magnificent and glorious things, such as fat and strong horses and large flowers. In the late Qing Dynasty, the peony was chosen as the national flower.

In many New Year pictures, fairy children always hold peonies that bear people's wishes for an auspicious and rich new year.

Dried peony petals can also be added in tea and traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate pain caused by menstruation.

Click here to listen to a Chinese folk song about peonies: Song of Peony