Rape flowers carry message of harmony

Video by Liu Xinrong

Forty-thousand hectares of rape flowers are blooming in Hengyang county, Hunan province, undulating in the gentle breeze like a yellow wave and attracting visitors from around the country coming to see.

Huashan village in the county is one of the venues of the provincial's second rape flower competition.

The flowers here are known for their taiji (or tai chi) paradigm shape, sometimes said to represent yin and yang in ancient Chinese philosophy.

Residents use yellow and purple rape blossoms, together with wheat, to sketch the taiji paradigm and the Chinese character "zheng", the ancient name of the place.

Over the past few years, the county has taken advantage of its rape flowers to develop rural tourism and ecological agriculture.