In 1999, the city of Kunming held the World Horticultural Expo — the first time the event was hosted in China. The southwestern city is home to most of China's exotic plants and Asia's largest flower market. And now, floral design courses are also becoming popular. Xu Xinchen has more.

Millennial Wang Huiji started to teach flower arrangements right after university graduation.

WANG HUIJI FLORIST "We need to pick flowers with different saturations and lightness. When we pick light colored ones, we need to create contrast by adding those with richer colors."

Wang studied horticulture and gardening, and she sees her teaching job as something that brings joy both to others and herself.

WANG HUIJI FLORIST "It could be tiring sometimes, but I feel so satisfied when seeing my work."

Wang Huiji is just one of the hundreds of florists teaching others in Kunming's Dounan International Flower Center — Asia's largest flower market by volume. A majority of her students are from outside the city, and even from other provinces.

ZENG QI STUDENT "I am from Guizhou Province and planning to open my own floral shop. I think it's important for me to learn a few tricks before serving others."

An entry level course lasts about two weeks. Students like Zeng Qi have to pay the tuition and cover their own living expenses while away from home, but, they think it's worth it, as opening a flower shop is seen as a good business move. Based on some estimates, the profit margin could be as high as 70 percent. But for others, this is simply a hobby. The number of students has increased 20 percent in the first four months this year compared to the same period last year. I decided to give it a try myself.

XU XINCHEN KUNMING "While it looks easy to finish this type of flower basket, and only took the pros 15 minutes, it took me nearly an hour — picking the right colors and even the size. These days, more and more men are becoming interested in flower arrangements."

Luo Jun has worked in floral designs for a decade. And about 20 percent of his students are male. He thinks as people's lives improve, more will learn to appreciate this type of artistry.

LUO JUN FLORIST "Nowadays some white-collar workers are willing to spend money to enjoy their lives by taking part in floral design workshops, for example. And those workshops now also incorporate other activities to make it more fun, such as baking and tea ceremonies."

Dounan is home to over ten floral design schools, training 20,000 students each year. Xu Xinchen, CGTN, Kunming.