Parks and gardens in Shanghai present Spring Festival activities and displays
Spring flower exhibition at Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden
Parks in Shanghai have prepared a number of activities from folk culture focused on the Chinese Lunar New Year, to floral exhibitions and plant-related tours, giving visitors a unique experience during the Spring Festival holiday.
Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Songjiang District will stage a spring flower exhibition during the holiday, featuring peony and azalea. Rabbit sculptures have also been placed in the garden, with this year marking the Year of the Rabbit.
There will be four exhibition areas with one showcasing 34 varieties of peonies, while forests, mountains and oasis landforms will also be replicated.
Rabbit sculpture at Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden
Another exhibit at the greenhouse will present the gardening landscapes of China, the United Kingdom, France and Japan. Science and information about the plants is also part of the displays.
Two giant rabbits made of straw and steel will welcome visitors, and orchids and other popular Spring Festival blossoms will also create a festive atmosphere.
Tours will be organized for children to explore the magical plant world at the greenhouses inside the garden, and ascending events will be held on Chenshan Hill.
As "climbing high" connotes growth and new accomplishments in Chinese culture, doing so is a customary New Year activity.
Narcissus at Shanghai Gongqing Forest Park
A narcissus flower exhibition is underway at Shanghai Gongqing Forest Park in Yangpu District, featuring nearly 100 narcissus carving works.
The flower typically blooms around the Chinese New Year with plentiful buds, large petals and a sweet floral fragrance, making it a popular and typical Spring Festival flower in Shanghai.
Other Spring Festival flowers such as tulips, plum blossoms, and violets are also featured, and lanterns are hung high, creating a festive atmosphere.
Narcissus carving masters will show off their techniques and share cultivation tips.
A narcissus carving competition will also be part of the activities.
Narcissus at Shanghai Gongqing Forest Park
The Guyi Garden in Jiading District, the city's first intangible cultural heritage-themed park, has been spruced up with nearly 1,000 red lanterns.
A cultural feast will be cooked up at the Jiangnan-style classic garden with a 501-year history during the holiday.
Riddle guessing, shadow plays, and dragon and lion dance performances will be staged.
A lecture on Nanxiang lantern riddle guessing, an intangible cultural heritage of Jiading, will also be held.
A guofeng (traditional Chinese fashion) bazaar displaying the old craft of intangible cultural heritage such as dough figurines, bamboo and straw plaiting, and folk-culture performances of glutinous rice cake making, will run through the holiday.
Two exhibitions about the evolution of Chinese characters and house decoration culture will also be part of the celebrations.
Shanghai Guyi Garden is lit up.
Rabbit lanterns at Shanghai Guyi Garden
Info:
Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden
Address: 3888 Chenhua Highway
上海辰山植物园, 上海市松江区辰花公路3888号
Opening hours: 8am-5pm
Admission: 60 yuan
Shanghai Gongqing Forest Park
Address: 2000 Jungong Road
上海共青森林公园, 上海市杨浦区军工路2000号
Opening hours: 5am-6pm
Admission: Free
Guyi Garden
Address: 218 Huyi Highway
上海古猗园, 上海市嘉定区沪宜公路218号
Opening hours: 6am-7pm
Admission: 12 yuan
Night view of the Shanghai Guyi Garden
