Azaleas' allure

The botanical wonderland in Shennongjia is about to explode with blooms

Marvelous masses of amazing azaleas make Shennongjia blossom during the ongoing season - in every sense.

The forest in Hubei province hosts over 4,000 species of plants - actually, it takes its name from a quasi-mythological botanist who's said to have dwelled in the area while experimenting with pharmacology and eventually accidentally poisoned himself during his trials. Oh, and he's often depicted as a human with horns.

The only well-preserved subtropical forest ecosystem in the world's middle latitudes became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016, making it China's 50th.

Over 150 million azaleas cover about a third of the 3,250-square-kilometer wilderness. About 35 varieties of the flower color the landscape in reds, purples, yellows and whites.

Azaleas bloom for a relatively long time because of the area's altitude.

Those in the lower elevations bloom from late March until early June.

The blossoms that flower at over 2,000 meters above sea level are encased in ice and snow during the May Day holiday, which falls on May 1.

Azaleas are considered a symbol of pure and unrequited love in Shennongjia. Droves of young couples arrive during the season to enjoy the blooms.

The flower variety also represents hospitality and happiness, which adds to its appeal, says Lin Tinghong, a resident of Qingtianpao village, which is near Shennongjia.

Lin noticed the influx of visitors that peaks with the blooms and consequently turned his home into a hotel where he provides meals, rooms, local products and activities.

"Visitor numbers increase by around a third around when the blossoms are at their best," he says.

"We had to hire three more staffers to meet demand this year. The azaleas do, indeed, bring more happiness to our business and lives."

Shennongjia has 23 travel agencies, and about 1,110 hotels and restaurants, that create more than 7,500 jobs for locals. It can receive up to 32,000 visitors at the peak time.

The forestry district's deputy Party secretary, Liu Qijun, says plans for a highspeed railway and highway system are under consideration. It may soon take less than five hours to reach the destination from Beijing and other cities.

"Shennongjia is considered a treasure trove of wildlife that's renowned for its botanical diversity. In addition to the beautiful azaleas, it's also an important habitat for such rare animals as Chinese giant salamanders, golden snub-nosed monkeys, clouded leopards and Asian black bears," he says.

It received over 13 million travelers, generating a revenue of 4.7 billion yuan ($745 million) in 2017, a 20 percent year-on-year increase in both visits and revenue.

Tourism is expected to continue to boom during the May Day holiday, Liu says.

"The UNESCO designation makes Shennongjia more attractive. But it also means local authorities must boost efforts to protect the environment," Liu says.

"We will use a scientific approach to keep visitor numbers at a reasonable level. We stick to the bottom line that economic development will never come at the expense of the environment. When investment projects conflict with 'green mountains and hills', we will always choose the environment to sustainably protect it for future generations."

The eighth annual Shennongjia Alpine Azalea Festival will open in mid-May.

It seems likely its photo competition should prove visually stunning - as should the actual sights.

Contact the writers at wangkeju@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/01/2018 page6)