In southwestern China lies an area that has been given the name "Land of Abundance" in ancient times. Sichuan Province, bestowed with mild climate, plenty rainfall and fertile soil, is famous for its beautiful landscape and biodiversity. It is the home to a variety of flora and fauna. Among them is the gorgeous hollyhock.

The hollyhock is a flowering plant native to Sichuan Province, which was later introduced to Europe and other parts of the world for ornamental purposes. When it blooms, the tall spikes are covered with beautiful bowl-shaped flowers from top to bottom, blooming in a wide variety of colors including purple, pink, red and black.

The hollyhock has a long cultivation history of over 2,200 years in China. The flower was praised by intellectuals like Li Bai, Du Fu and Su Shi. The poet Chen Biao from the Tang Dynasty (618 AD—907 AD) even compared it with peony, which was considered the "King of Flowers."

Besides its colorful beauty, hollyhock is also famous for the vitality that enables it to thrive in any extreme environment. So, the flower became a cultural symbol for perseverance in the minds of Sichuan people. 

Hollyhocks can be found in the 125 countries and regions that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative. As the origin of this flower, Sichuan Province hopes to launch a project introducing hollyhocks on a global scale, providing a glimpse of the Chinese beauty and tradition through this flower.

From the wetlands along the coast to the dense rainforests hidden in the southwest, China boasts an array of plant species. In this series, we will go on a tour to learn about some of the most representative flora in different provinces and see how they live in harmony with the local geography and climate.

China's Flora Tour: Fine jade flowers

China's Flora Tour: Sprung in spring, elegant and brilliant

China's Flora Tour: Touch the sky, the colorful poppy in the Himalayas

(Cover image via VCG, designed by CGTN's Gao Hongmei)

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