A budding attraction

As the drab gray of winter is on the wane, Beijing prepares to dazzle visitors and residents alike with the floral finery of springtime, Yang Feiyue reports.

Beijing has four distinct seasons. Spring is time for the capital city to dress in blossoms. It might be common to enjoy the fragrance of flowers elsewhere, but in Beijing, they can be appreciated alongside the ancient buildings nestled among them.

The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has rolled out a dozen themed spring tours for visitors to enjoy. Here is a quick guide of the best routes.

Winter jasmine

These golden-yellow flowers can be widely seen in Beijing in March. Their beauty is amplified by the red walls and green tiles of historical buildings.

At the northern gate of Beihai Park, winter jasmine provides a picturesque scene against the backdrop of water, hills and pedestrian activity and has been a perennial favorite of photographers. The blossoms are accentuated by the nearby lake stones of various shapes and sizes.

In Zhongshan Park, winter jasmine breathes life into the solemn ambience of the royal site, where sacrificial ceremonies were once held during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

The Ming Dynasty Wall Relics Park doesn't have the most winter jasmine but claims to offer the most delicate samples, set against the ancient gray city wall.

Yulan magnolias

Its flowering phase is very short, as if showing an indomitable courage and pride. Many love the plant for the flowers that blossom before leafing. The best time to see it is usually from the last week of March to mid-April.

Yulan magnolias usually appear first along Chang'an Avenue, and locals consider it a sign of the real advent of spring. The blossoms look best on the western side of the avenue. They also bring out the solemn beauty of the red wall, presenting an artistic reflection of the ancient capital. Visitors should also look out for the spread of purple magnolias in the northwestern corner of the thoroughfare, near the National Center for the Performing Arts.

The Summer Palace has a 250-year history of planting Yulan magnolias, but all but two plants were destroyed during the invasion by Anglo-French allied forces in 1860, meaning that the remaining pair have witnessed the vicissitudes of Beijing's turbulent history. Every time they blossom, the Longevity Hall is filled with fragrance.

The Beijing International Sculpture Park is home to more than 180 excellent sculptures, reliefs and murals from more than 40 countries and regions. There are, however, more magnolias than sculptures. The park's 5-hectare magnolia garden boasts more than 5,000 varieties of the flower and is one of the largest gardens of its kind in the capital.

Peach blossoms

The Beijing Botanical Garden is one of the best places to appreciate the beauty of peach blossoms. It offers more than 70 varieties, all of which create a polychromatic picture.

To the west of the Cao Xueqin Memorial Hall, the blossoms and the river look like something out of a fairy tale, especially when the breeze comes in and casts petals on the water's surface.

Northeast Beijing's Pinggu district is known for its peach orchards that cover 147 square kilometers. In April and May, it's like walking into a sea of peach blossoms. Visitors to the area can hike up the mountain full of peach blossoms or drive through a special viewing corridor to enjoy the pleasure of whooshing through a sea of blossoms.

Although peach blossoms are not as abundant in Beihai Park, they provide a striking image set against the backdrop of the 300-year-old white tower on Qionghua Island in the middle of the park. The scene not only highlights the vitality of spring but also the historical charm of Beijing.

Cherry blossoms

Many cherish the blossoms for their short yet splendid flowering phase, which takes place in late March and April.

Yuyuantan Park is the most popular place locals go to see the cherry blossoms. Its cherry garden covers 25 hectares, with more than 2,000 cherry trees. It is one of the largest and best-known cherry gardens in China. In 1972, diplomatic relations between China and Japan were normalized, and about 1,000 Prunus sargentii were brought from Japan as gifts. Yuyuantan received 180, which all took root and thrived. The park offers a distinctive scene with its sunken terrain and slopes.

Beijing Botanical Garden doesn't have as many cherry blossoms as Yuyuantan, but it hosts rich varieties of spring flora that allow the cherry blossoms stand out. Cherry blossoms are dotted among the green willow branches and pink plum blossoms, and the distant green hills are reflected in the lake.

Most Chinese travelers cite Wuhan University as a superb spot for the cherry-blossom season, but few have heard of Gengdan Institute at Beijing University of Technology in Shunyi district, which offers even more varieties of cherry blossoms than Wuhan University or Yuyuantan.

The institute has about 500 cherry trees across the campus.

Lilacs

Lilacs appeal to people, not just for the color of their blossoms but also their elegant, noble appearance and rich aroma. It is at its most prominent in April and May.

Fayuan Temple, which was built in AD 645, has been known for its lilac blossoms since the Ming Dynasty. The flowers set off the red walls, green tiles, carved beams and painted buildings of the ancient temple. Historical figures, such as Lin Zexu, Ji Xiaolan and Gong Zizhen, left their footprints and created poems there, and spring is considered the most beautiful season to visit Fayuan Temple.

Apricot blossoms

Apricot blossoms usually emerge before peach blooms. They change color over time, and are bright red while budding before turning white until they fall. The best time to view them is from mid-March to early April.

There is a forest of 150 apricot trees in the northwestern part of the Temple of Heaven. They were planted in the late 1950s, and some of the old trees have developed strong branches and lush blossoms.

The Badaling Section of the Great Wall is flanked by many hectares of apricot trees. Hiking the Great Wall while the apricot blossoms are in full bloom is highly recommended. The wall looks like a huge dragon meandering among a sea of blossoms.

Pear blossoms

Pear blossoms are considered pure and flawless. They have been praised by people for thousands of years as symbol of pure love and commitment. April and May at the Palace Museum is the best time and place to see pear blossoms, which are not only white as snow but also sweetly fragrant. The Palace of Celestial Favor is famous not only for the pear flowers nestled against the red bricks and green tiles but also for the beautiful love story between Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and his beloved concubine, Dong E.

A visit to Zhihua Temple can be like traveling back in time, where ancient pear trees, white pear blossoms and elegant music from the Ming Dynasty court waft in the breeze. The temple is hidden in Lumicang hutong (alley) in Dongcheng district and is one of the best-preserved examples from the Ming Dynasty.

There are many other blossoms that can be found in the capital city, including begonias, tulips, peonies and Chinese parasols. They all help put a spring in the step of the city's residents after winter.

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn