China's Cherry Blossom Map: Where to Find the Most Stunning Sakura?

Flower viewing is arguably the top priority of spring. After a winter of dormancy, with the spring light so inviting, how can one resist stepping outside to bask in the sun and admire the blossoms?

Plum and peach blossoms, celebrated in poetry and wine for millennia, bloom and fade in turn; peonies, with their unparalleled beauty, are about to dominate the central plains; wherever the 100 million acres of rapeseed flowers spread, mothers enthusiastically welcome them with silk scarves, embodying perfect timing and地利...

Thus, each flower seems to shout—"In this grand floral battle, the advantage is mine!"

Yet, the most dazzling floral star of March is undoubtedly—

She, seemingly fleeting in bloom, thrives across China’s vast land, sustaining a grand six-month relay race—

As early as December, when the north still shivers in winter, Yunnan’s winter cherry blossoms already glow like rosy clouds;

By March, cherry blossoms across the land herald spring’s zenith;

Even in May, they cling to spring’s tail in North and Northeast China.

Thus, the cherry blossom, traditionally symbolic of fleeting beauty ("mono no aware"), blooms magnificently in China—romantic and grand. Though native to China, ornamental cherry trees have only been widely planted for less than forty years, yet they’ve swept the nation with overwhelming momentum.

Here, they sing not of spring’s melancholy but of the era’s流行曲. Viewers rarely lament their transience, instead marveling at each splendid moment of their bloom.

So, let’s embark on a virtual cherry blossom tour to feel this unique spring vitality, where all things flourish.

To "cloud-view" cherry blossoms on China’s map is first a grand journey across thousands of miles. In East Asia, cherry trees frame many浪漫场景, but only in China do they blanket mountains with majestic grandeur.

The world’s largest cherry blossom基地 lies in Guizhou’s Pingba, spanning over 6,000 acres.

Here, against distant mountains and Hongfeng Lake as a canvas, over 700,000 cherry trees of varied hues ignite, creating Earth’s most spectacular "cherry blossom world."

In China, cherry blossoms also interact magically with tea-growing mountains. In Fujian’s Zhangping, Guizhou’s Pingba... they bloom amid vast tea fields—might the spring tea here carry a hint of cherry fragrance?

In Nanning, Guangxi, cherry blossoms adorn forest parks; in Kunming’s Yuantong Mountain and Cherry Blossom Valley, they fall like pink snow; in Sichuan, the "Land of Abundance," people flock to "cherry valleys" each spring to admire tiny cherry flowers...

Expansive cherry gardens, often spanning thousands of acres, are veritable spring feasts. Yet, as newcomers, wild mountain cherries aren’t as widespread as peach or rapeseed flowers. For the finest blooms, one must turn to cities.

Wuhan’s Luojia Mountain and East Lake cherry blossoms are already网红无需多提. But across Dongting Lake, Changsha locals tired of annual trips to Hubei spent forty years cultivating their own cherry garden in Hunan’s Forest Botanical Garden.

Here, unique Chinese varieties like华中樱桃, 尾叶樱桃, and 钟花樱桃 thrive. Changsha residents can finally exhale—no need to travel far to Wuhan for floral splendor.

From Dali’s Wuliang Mountain to Shanghai Botanical Garden, Qingdao’s Zhongshan Park, Beijing’s Yuyuantan... cherry blossoms grace cities nationwide, also embellishing China’s historic landmarks.

At West Lake in Hangzhou, cherry blossoms embellish the watery landscapes of Jiangnan.

At Nanjing's ancient Jiming Temple, a pink river of cherry blossoms winds northward, flowing all the way to the lantern-lit reflections of Xuanwu Lake.

At Xi'an's Qinglong Temple and Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, cherry blossoms mirror the ancient capital's elegance, adding a touch of youthful beauty to its timeless history.

One might say, it's not the cherry blossoms' beauty that dazzles, but their cultural resonance.

Yet, the most breathtaking cherry blossoms are found on campuses brimming with youthful vitality. Here, they embody the poetic line—

"You watch the scenery from the bridge, while someone upstairs watches you."

The most youthful cherry blossoms

Bloom along university "Sakura Avenues."

This year, campus cherry blossoms are spared the usual crowds, offering an exclusive spectacle for fresh-faced students.

Young lovers hang three-line love poems beneath the blossoms; soon-to-graduate seniors freeze their final youthful glances in photos, clad in academic gowns.

Campus cherry-blossom viewing demands harmony between people and scenery—here, the "Four Great Schools" of the sakura world each flaunt unique charms.

First, only campuses dubbed "People's Parks" rank as top-tier sakura destinations.

Hence, Wuhan University's "Luojia Mountain People's Park," Tongji University's "Siping Road People's Park," and Xi'an Jiaotong University's "Xingqing People's Park" all stake their claims.

Wuhan University's cherry blossoms thrive amid Luojia's terraced hills and pavilions, mirroring students' radiant youth.

To behold Luojia's grandeur, one must trek past "Despair Slope" to reach the blossoms' crowning glory—Old Dormitory. A spring metaphor for hard-won sweetness.

Tongji's cherry blossoms transcend their famed hundred-meter Sakura Avenue.

Here, spring bursts with life: three-line poems, sakura-themed cafeteria treats, 13th-/19th-floor sky gardens with night views, elders' accordion melodies under the boughs, the campus cat "Big Cow" lounging... Countless spring moments hold Tongji's romance that could conquer all Shanghai.

No wonder locals prefer Tongji's blooms over Cherry Blossom Festival hotspots like Gucun Park. If I were to choose a spring romance, it'd be during Tongji's sakura season.

Xi'an Jiaotong's cherry blossoms teach the true meaning of "seeing Chang'an's flowers in a day."

Its Xingqing campus mirrors the city's majestic grid, with Soaring Tower and Qian Xuesen Library as focal points. Sakura East/West and Phoenix Tree East/West Avenues unfold methodically—follow their names for a flawless blossom-to-tree promenade.

At Northwest A&F University, Huazhong Agricultural University, Nanjing Forestry University, South China Agricultural University... you can enjoy a comprehensive experience of diverse cherry blossoms.

For example, the cherry blossoms by Xuanwu Lake at Nanjing Forestry University are exceptionally serene in their beauty—delicate in sunshine, coolly elegant in rain, and moonlit enchantresses at night. If you tire of cherry blossoms and crave something different, there’s no issue at all. With nearly 400 plant species blooming in spring, one is bound to capture your heart.

Moreover, universities across the country compete in cherry blossom splendor, each with its own charm.

In Kunming, Yunnan, weeping crabapples dazzle alongside cherry blossoms on campuses; Southeast University hides spring flowers flourishing over millennia; while the Laoshan Campus of Ocean University of China boasts the finest cherry blossoms among northern universities... China’s campuses are truly countless as cherry blossom paradises.

Campuses are also where Chinese people first cultivated their affection for cherry blossoms. They map cherry blossom spots, establish "cherry blossom post offices," sell themed merchandise, and joke, "The prettier the cherry blossoms, the worse cherry-flavored snacks taste"... channeling uncontained romantic ideals into cherry blossoms, which then spread across China.

Strangely, for millennia, cherry blossoms remained obscure in China’s flower-appreciation culture. Why, then, did this cherry blossom craze sweep the nation in just four decades?

In ancient China’s floral praise list, plum blossoms, orchids, bamboos, and chrysanthemums symbolized nobility; peonies and tree peonies represented prosperity. Cherry blossoms didn’t even make the supporting cast.

After all, cherry blossoms, fleeting as spring itself, seemed to lack "positive energy" to the ancients. In contrast, cherry fruits were quite favored.

The cherry blossoms admired anciently also differed from today’s ornamental varieties. Whether described as "blushing faintly after plum blossoms fade" or "remembering blooms like snow-laden branches," most verses depicted mountain cherry blossoms or cherry flowers.

Modern ornamental cherry blossoms are actually "distant relatives from abroad." Wild cherries originated in the Himalayas, migrating east to Japan tens of thousands of years ago.

Later cultivated ornamental varieties diverged significantly from wild cherries and fruit-bearing types. Yet the flower-viewing tradition, transmitted to Japan during the Tang Dynasty, was elevated there.

These ornamental cherry blossoms staged a remarkable comeback in China’s floral scene, thanks to their unique traits.

Why cherry blossoms’ popularity in China? First, they might be the most "flamboyant" flowers.

In China, any major cherry garden worth its salt boasts over 50 varieties. From December to May, winter cherries lead, followed by early, mid, and late blooms in relentless succession—a "combo attack" that dwarfs traditional plum, peach, and rapeseed flowers like a "dimensional strike."

Cherry blossoms themselves morph endlessly. Their names alone—Scarlet Cold, Eightfold Red, Taibai, Sekiyama, Shogetsu—ooze poetic flair. Flower shapes vary from broom-like "River of Heaven" to umbrella-shaped "Fugenzo." Colors span white Yoshino to green Gyoiko, a breathtaking kaleidoscope.

Connoisseurs judge them by full criteria: bloom shape/color, leaf form/hue, and tree structure—meticulous as a beauty pageant.

Second, cherry blossoms’ rise owes not just to their merits but to China’s rapid development.

In autumn 1909, Zhou Shuren (not yet "Lu Xun") wrote of Ueno’s "cherry blossoms like rosy clouds," then taught at Zhejiang Two-Level Normal School (precursor to Hangzhou High). There, he often took students plant-collecting, aiming to compile *West Lake Flora*. Hence, Hangzhou High still proudly claims its century-old cherry tree was planted by Zhou himself.

This mirrors cherry blossoms’ century in China. Historically complex, they symbolized humiliation during national collapse, then became diplomatic gifts in peace.

China’s recent 40-year urbanization drove cherry blossoms into parks nationwide, also greening cities—who wouldn’t want pink-tinged street or garden trees?

Cherry blossoms, with the spread of the aesthetic of "mono no aware" and the popularity of anime like "5 Centimeters Per Second," carry an innate internet-famous vibe. They thrive in youth novels featuring protagonists named "Sakura," in the annual critiques of cherry blossom-flavored snacks, and in the lenses of photographers and tourists' short videos. Yet, this species native to China has, like other widely disseminated cultural symbols, blossomed into a uniquely Chinese cherry blossom charm.

Delicacy gathers into abundance, brilliance brims with fervor—China's cherry blossom season is a distinctive springtime revelry.

A Casual Discussion on the Current Status and Applications of Cherry Blossoms in China 《Gardens》2010.03 by Wang Cheng

This article is original content from 【Authentic Local Culture】