Chrysanthemum City Golden Petals

Chrysanthemum City Golden Petals

One of the "Ten Scenic Spots of Guangdong Zhongshan," the "Chrysanthemum City Golden Petals" is actually a nickname for Xiaolan Town in Zhongshan City. The people of Xiaolan have had a deep love for cultivating chrysanthemums for hundreds of years, with nearly every household having its own flower gardens and pavilions. Balconies, rooftops, and even street corners are filled with countless varieties of chrysanthemums. When golden autumn arrives, a riot of colorful chrysanthemums blooms everywhere, vibrant and full of life. Golden-yellow chrysanthemums become the dominant hue, creating a true spectacle known as the Chrysanthemum City Golden Petals.

Xiaolan Town earned the beautiful title of "Chrysanthemum City Golden Petals" from a touching and tragic legend. It is said that during the Xianchun era of the Southern Song Dynasty, a concubine surnamed Su fled the imperial palace to pursue marital happiness, daring to escape southward and hiding in Zhujixiang, Nanxiong, Guangdong. Emperor Duzong of Song sent troops to search for and capture her, slaughtering innocents along the way. At the time, Zhujixiang was home to many scholars and merchants who had fled south to escape war. Upon hearing the news, they continued their journey southward until they reached Xiangshan County—now Xiaolan in Zhongshan City. There, they found vast fields, fertile land, and a mild climate. They fell in love with the chrysanthemums and the place, so they settled down, reclaimed the land, and started new lives. A culture of cherishing and cultivating chrysanthemums gradually flourished.

In the 19th year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty, to commemorate their ancestors’ founding of the village, the people of Xiaolan, organized by over ten local chrysanthemum societies, held the first Chrysanthemum Festival. They also agreed to hold a grand chrysanthemum event once every 60 years. Notably, the 1994 Chrysanthemum Festival featured three exhibition zones, four display areas, five main streets, and 198 scenic spots, covering a total area of 10 square kilometers. Over 820,000 pots of chrysanthemums and 1,568 varieties were displayed. Among the 704 large upright chrysanthemums exhibited, 113 had more than 1,027 flowers per plant. Two standout giant chrysanthemums broke Guinness World Records for the highest number of blooms on a single plant: the “White Peony,” a 43-ring chrysanthemum with 5,677 blooms, and the “Green Robe Red Dress,” a 42-ring chrysanthemum with 5,419 blooms. In addition to large upright chrysanthemums, the festival also showcased remarkable techniques such as shaped chrysanthemum grafting and chrysanthemum hanging arrangements. The grafting displays included a layered tower-shaped “high-grafted chrysanthemum” with multiple varieties grafted onto one plant—one variety per layer, forming a tower typically consisting of 8 to 10 layers. There were also aged-stem grafted potted landscape chrysanthemums. Moreover, there were four hemispherical grafted chrysanthemums, each with 60 different varieties grafted onto a single plant, arranged in five rings with 91 blooms. The 60 varieties symbolized the 60-year interval of Xiaolan’s chrysanthemum festivals. Grafting 60 varieties onto one plant with synchronized blooming is truly a rare masterpiece in the art of chrysanthemums. This spectacular event attracted over 6 million visitors from China and 23 other countries and regions. It successfully promoted Xiaolan globally through the universal language of chrysanthemums, boosted the town’s visibility, fostered friendships, and contributed to its economic takeoff.

It would be ideal to visit Xiaolan during the once-in-60-years Grand Chrysanthemum Festival, but since such opportunities are rare in a lifetime, there's no need to be disappointed. After the founding of New China, people felt that waiting 60 years for a chrysanthemum festival was too long, so it was changed to once every ten years. In 1959, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Xiaolan held its first post-liberation chrysanthemum festival. Newspapers and magazines across the province covered the event extensively, earning Xiaolan the title “Chrysanthemum City,” which has since become widely recognized. Additionally, a smaller chrysanthemum exhibition is held annually during golden autumn in October and November, usually in parks and main boulevards. Though described as small, it still showcases around 100,000 pots and over a thousand chrysanthemum varieties. During this time, visitors can not only admire the diverse and exquisite chrysanthemums but also enjoy a special chrysanthemum-themed cuisine, including dishes like chrysanthemum fish balls, chrysanthemum cakes, chrysanthemum meat, and chrysanthemum wine, delighting both the eyes and palate.

For those interested, you can also explore the town’s rapidly developing urban and rural construction. Just the 112 projects completed in 1994, including the new urban area with an investment of 2.6 billion yuan, showcase the town’s ambitious vision. It’s no wonder Xiaolan has earned titles like “China’s Star Township,” “Top 100 Investment Environment Towns in China,” “National Sanitary Town,” and “Guangdong Provincial Civilized Town.”

The area also boasts historical attractions such as the Ming Dynasty’s Shuangmei Bridge, the Ming Dynasty’s Meihua Qingquan Well, the Ancestral Temple of the He Clan of Guangdong, People’s Park, and the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery—all worth visiting.

Address: Xiaolan Town, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province

Type: Ancient Town / Ancient Village

Recommended Visit Duration: About 1 hour

Opening Hours:

Open all year round

Ticket Information:

No admission fee.

Xiaolan Town: Located in the northern part of the city, Xiaolan Town covers an area of 71.41 square kilometers, including an urban area of 13 square kilometers. It governs 15 community residents' committees, with a registered population of 157,700 and a non-registered population of 269,600. The terrain is flat, mainly consisting of river and stream sediment deposits, with waterways spanning 7 square kilometers. The infrastructure is well-developed, and transportation by land and water is convenient. National Highway 105 and provincial roads run through the town. Facilities include a national first-class passenger transport station, the Xiaolan Port with a throughput capacity of 1.8 million tons, a Xiaolan port cargo vehicle inspection site handling 500 vehicles per day, and a… [Xiaolan Town Detailed Information++]