Peony and plum blossom in the running for national honor

Although they are undeniably beautiful, flowers sometimes trigger debate.

In China, this has centered for decades around the fact that the country does not have a national flower, despite having plenty to choose from among traditional art and culture, including peonies, orchids, chrysanthemums, plum blossoms, lotuses, jasmines and narcissus.

More than 100 countries have a national flower, but China, a nation with a rich floral heritage and culture, does not.

Two candidates have emerged as leading contenders - the peony and plum blossom.

Both originated in China and are popular with the public. In Chinese literature and tradition, the peony represents wealth, prosperity and prestige, while plum blossom symbolizes integrity, persistence and the endurance of hardship.

It is widely believed that the peony is favored by the general population, with its large blooms and variety of colors, while plum blossom, which has considerably smaller flowers, is often preferred by intellectuals for its symbolic meanings.

Those championing the peony, who mostly come from northern areas of the country where it grows, said the flower should represent China, as its association with wealth and prestige is in line with the nation being prosperous and booming.

They consider that plum blossom is too small, compared with the peony, to represent the nation.

However, plum blossom supporters feel the peony is often associated with the pursuit of wealth and fame, which should not be encouraged and taken as a mainstream view.

In 1994, the Chinese Flower Association launched a campaign across the country to choose a national flower.

At the time, a proposal for the peony to be adopted was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, but was quickly shelved.

In 2005, a poll by sohu.com showed that 41 percent of the public supported the peony as the national flower, while 36 percent supported plum blossom.

However, when a similar poll was conducted in 2010, the proportion of peony supporters fell to 38 percent, while 43 percent favored plum blossom.

With public opinion divided over which flower should be given the honor, suggestions have been made that a "one country, two flowers" policy should be adopted.

Li Qingwei, an associate professor at the School of Forestry at Beijing Forestry University, supports this idea.

"China is just so big geographically, and both flowers are popular. So why not let both become national flowers? That's harmonious," he said.