Holiday in Heze

About Heze

Heze is located in the southwest of Shandong Province and proudly holds the title of the Peony Capital of China. The city has been cultivating the peony (Mudan) for over 1,400 years, and its gardens host over 1,200 varieties in more than nine color groups — from purest white to bright red, as well as rare black and green variants. The peony is not only Heze's identity but has also been China's unofficial national flower since 2019. The Caozhou Peony Garden is the oldest and largest specialized peony garden in the world: on 100 hectares, over a million plants bloom in April and May, transforming the area into a stunning sea of colors. The Thousand-Year Peony Bush — a supposedly 1,000-year-old stock — is the pride of the garden and a popular photo motif. The International Peony Festival in April attracts millions of visitors annually: flower parades, calligraphy competitions, peony painting exhibitions, and an economic forum make Heze the center of Chinese flower culture for two weeks. The peony industry is much more than tourism: Heze produces peony seed oil (rich in Omega-3), peony tea, cosmetics, and traditional medicine. The night market offers peony ice cream, peony cakes, and peony liqueur — the flower permeates every aspect of daily life. Heze also has a significant martial arts tradition: the city is considered the origin of Meihuaquan (Plum Blossom Fist), one of the oldest forms of Chinese martial arts. In the rural outskirts, this tradition is passed down in village schools. The Yellow River flows north of the city and has shaped the region's agriculture for thousands of years. The wetlands along the river are a habitat for migratory birds and offer peaceful nature experiences away from the peony season.