Wu Zetian was furious and demoted the peony to Luoyang. As soon as the strong and unyielding peony arrived in Luoyang, it was in full bloom with its head held high, which angered Wuhou even more and ordered the peony to be burned. Although the branches were burned, the peony bloomed more vigorously in the next spring.
2. During the Jingkang period, Jin Jun attacked Luoyang, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, and it was also destroyed by fire, and peony declined from then on. But since Luoyang Peony became famous, admirers from all over the country came to buy it, making Luoyang Peony spread all over the country. After that, several peony producing areas appeared, all related to Luoyang peony.
For example, at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, Chen Zhou (now Huaiyang) near Luoyang was famous for introducing and cultivating Luoyang peony. Since then, Tian Peng, Sichuan (now Pengxian) has also been called "Little Luoyang". In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Cao Zhou (now Heze) became the main producing area of peony in China. According to records () "During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Zhao Zu loved flowers and went to Luoyang to ask for more than ten kinds of peony."
It can be seen that the development of Cao Zhou Peony also benefited from Luoyang Peony. Since then, peony has experienced vicissitudes.
Legends of several peony varieties
1, "bean green"
According to legend, there is a young flower farmer in Heze who dreams of hanging a "flower-oriented" gold plaque at his door. Fairy Baihua told him that if you are really ambitious, go to the Yellow River Beach to borrow soil and go to the East China Sea to draw water, so that papaya can belong to you. Say that finish, remove the jasper from her hair and put it on the ground. The jade flashes green and disappears.
The young florist waded through mountains and rivers and went through hardships, and finally cultivated a green peony in the place where the jade was buried, and obtained the "flower-based" gold plaque. In this way, bean green has become a treasure in peony.
2. The legend of "Zhuangyuanhong"
"Zhuangyuanhong" flowers are big and bright, and you can see the sunset glow. Legend has it that there was a man named Lang who was accepted as an apprentice. He didn't go far to Wan Li to look for his relatives, but unexpectedly met his teenage "wife", who had served his biological father for 17 years. Just as his biological father forced him to consummate his marriage, an imperial edict came, announcing that he was going to Beijing to get married. Father's life is hard to disobey. You can't bully him. He vomited blood and fell dead. The following year, a peony was born on the champion's grave. This flower is as big as a plate and the color is like the champion's robe. People call it "Zhuangyuanhong".
3. The legend of "Qinglong Lying in Mo Chi"
In folklore, the "dragon lying in Mo Chi" is the embodiment of the devotee. When the peony dried up due to drought, Xiao Qinglong gave his life to steal fairy water from Yaochi to save the peony. In order to repay the kindness of Xiao Qinglong, fairy peony jumped into the Mo Chi of Mount Tai with Xiao Qinglong and avoided being killed, but she became a different color from other sisters.
4. The legend of "Black Peony"
About the story of black peony, the florist will also tell you that Empress Wu Zetian made flowers for her birthday, but only Peony dared to disobey her fate. In a rage, Wu Zetian expelled peonies from Chang 'an, and some peonies determined to leave their homes were set on fire by Wu Zetian. The next year, these peonies unexpectedly and magically opened red flowers in the dark.