Huaxiang Nongju

　　In recent years, the Long'an District Party Committee and District Government have promoted the construction of new rural areas through eco-tourism as an industrial driver, helping farmers establish agritainment businesses, which have been widely supported by the public. As the saying goes: "Legends of the Three Kingdoms abound, occasionally songs echo in the woods. Diligent with floral affairs, the Shu Emperor forgets his kingdom. Ten thousand acres of ecological park, willows and golden-thread rivers. Fragrant flowers and lush plants, clouds rise over the agritainment."

　　Entering "Wanmugou," you’ll find Wujiadong Village, a provincial-level characteristic tourist village and a specialized village for flower and seedling cultivation, located to the northwest of this scenic area. The village boasts a countless variety of trees, rich in negative air ions, making you feel as if you’re in a natural oxygen bar.

　　Longquan Town in Long'an District is a nationally renowned hometown of flowers and trees, with over 1,700 years of flower cultivation history. It lies at the junction of China’s northern and southern temperate zones, making it one of the most ideal acclimatization regions for transferring southern flowers northward and northern flowers southward.

　　Historical records state: "Most villagers in Longquan are florists, with flowers planted everywhere around their homes and eaves. Their grafting techniques are ingenious and peerless. Their reach extends everywhere." The town has over 20,000 mu of flower cultivation area, nearly 40 flower and tree enterprises, including 10 with second-grade landscaping qualification certificates, offering more than 2,000 varieties. It has been named a "National Key Flower Market" and "China's Hometown of Flowers and Trees" by the National Forestry Administration and the China Flower Association.

　　There is also a little-known historical story here: In the late Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Shu Kingdom, the last emperor Liu Shan (also known as A'dou) was relocated and imprisoned here from Luoyang. He spent his days here cultivating flowers, planting trees and grass, enjoying a leisurely life without yearning for his homeland. The phrase "pleased not to think of Shu" originates from here. Although Liu Shan lost his country, he passed on the habit of flower and tree cultivation to the locals, giving birth to the Longquan flower industry.

　　On the left side of the road is a cluster of crape myrtles, the city flower of Anyang. Also known as "Man Tang Hong," crape myrtle is a widely planted flowering tree that blooms continuously from July to October, hence the name "hundred-day red." The Song Dynasty poet Yang Wanli praised it: "Like drunk or dazed, yet lovely and fine, leaning under dew and wind it stands so fine. Who says no flower blooms a hundred days? Crape myrtle blooms half a year ablaze." Crape myrtle comes in four types: purple crape myrtle, greenish crape myrtle, silver crape myrtle, and red crape myrtle. The flowers of purple crape myrtle are purple, greenish ones are light blue or light green, silver ones are white, and red ones are red. "When crape myrtle blooms a hundred days red, just touch its branch and the whole tree shakes." When crape myrtle trees grow large, their bark peels off, leaving a smooth surface. If you gently touch it, the branches and leaves tremble, and even emit a faint "creak." This is its "ticklish" reaction, truly astonishing. It is also called the "tickle-me-not tree."

　　There are cypresses here, also known as oriental arborvitae.

　　On the right side of the road are hibiscus trees, whose flowers come in three colors: red, white, and pink. Hibiscus blooms in midsummer, covering the tree with blossoms. It is suitable for public flower hedges, green fences, and garden arrangements. It also grows well along walls and water edges. In the north, it is often planted in rows along roadsides, enhancing the landscape while also helping to prevent dust. It can be extensively planted in parks, seaside green spaces, home courtyards, and privacy hedges. It is also an environmental pioneer—tests show it resists harmful gases like sulfur dioxide and chlorine while trapping dust. Hibiscus flowers can be eaten raw, stir-fried, or used in soups. They are crisp, tender, smooth, fragrant, moistening, and help eliminate damp heat, making them a natural health food. South Korea has designated a single-petal red-heart variety as its national flower.

　　Ahead on the walking trail, you’ll see a fiery red area formed by torch trees. Also known as deerhorn lacquer or torch lacquer, its fruits persist after ripening in September, and its leaves turn red in autumn. Even the stamens are red, resembling torches that bloom in clusters, creating a spectacular red expanse from afar. Locals call it "Red Leaves Greeting Autumn."

　　Torch trees have shallow roots but well-developed horizontal roots and strong sprouting ability, making them excellent for slope protection, embankment stabilization, and sand dune fixation. Their fruits contain citric acid and vitamin C, suitable for beverages; seeds contain oil wax for making soap and candles; the yellow wood has a dense, beautiful grain for carving and crafts; and the root bark is medicinal.

　　Look up, and those trees adorned with lantern-like flowers are koelreuteria, also known as doctor trees or lantern trees, belonging to the Sapindaceae family. Deciduous and tall, they have a straight trunk, lush and graceful foliage, purple-red leaves in spring, yellow flowers in summer, crimson fruits in autumn, and bright yellow autumn leaves. They are ideal for greening and ornamental foliage. Adaptable and distinct in seasonal color, they suit streetscapes, shade trees, and industrial pollution areas. They also produce tannin extract: flowers yield yellow dye, and seeds yield oil.

　　They can be divided into southern koelreuteria, which blooms in September and fills the green gap in northern winters, and northern koelreuteria, which blooms in May.

　　These tall trees are red sophora, also called hairy red sophora, a hybrid of common red sophora and Jiangnan sophora. Its flowers are purple, large, and long-blooming, from April to May.

　　The paper mulberry here, locally called the honey-peach tree, has long, soft inner bark fibers that are highly moisture-absorbent. It has been a premium material for making mulberry bark paper in China since the Sui Dynasty. Its fruit, called papermulberry seed, and roots are medicinal, benefiting kidney function, diuresis, and bone strength. Young leaves can feed pigs. It resists sulfur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and chlorine, making it suitable for industrial pollution areas.

　　The plant with sword-like leaves is sisal, a common agave species and the world’s most widely used hard fiber. It is ideal for ropes in fishing, mining, and transport, and has medicinal value. Its fibers are strong, saltwater-resistant, wear-resistant, and elastic.

　　These red plants are copperleaf, known for their vibrant year-round foliage and stunning blooms, making them excellent ornamental trees. Used in color blocks, topiaries, or potted plants, they are mainly applied in four areas: gardens, urban greenery, roadside barriers, and courtyard landscaping. Red copperleaf is also the city flower of Zhuzhou, Hunan.

　　These green trees with needle-like petioles are Chinese pine. With two hard needles per bundle, they are mainly ornamental. As sun-loving, deep-rooted trees, they tolerate poor soil, wind, and temperatures as low as -25°C. The famous "Guest-Greeting Pine" on Mount Tai, standing at 1,400 meters, is a Chinese pine. Pine trunks are sturdy and evergreen, ideal for harsh climates. Companion trees include maple, oak, birch, and oriental arborvitae. The wood is resin-rich, decay-resistant, and used for construction, furniture, and industrial fiber. Pine resin is also harvested.

　　Masson pine has three softer needles per bundle. As a key timber and pioneer afforestation species, it is economically valuable for construction, sleepers, mine props, and packaging. Highly water-resistant, it is called the "thousand-year pine in water," ideal for underwater projects.

　　You’ve likely admired Mao Dun’s "Ode to the Poplar," moved by its nobility, integrity, and simplicity. Before you now stands the poplar Mao Dun described. A sun-loving species thriving in cool, humid climates but vulnerable to disease in hot, rainy weather, it tolerates poor soils but prefers deep, fertile sandy loam. Deep-rooted and fast-growing, it lives up to 200 years—longest among poplars. Tall and majestic, it provides dense shade and adapts well to urban and industrial areas, serving as street, park, or shelterbelt trees. Planted alone, in clusters, or along streets, fields, and sports facilities.

　　The chinaberry tree, a deciduous species also called bitter chinaberry, grows in Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Taiwan, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Hainan. Its light wood is easy to process for furniture and tools; flowers, leaves, seeds, and roots are medicinal. Its elegant form and pale purple spring blooms, fragrant and dust-resistant, make it ideal for streets, gardens, and coastal plantings.

　　Covered in purplish-black fruits, the privet tolerates sunlight, partial shade, cold, and toxins like sulfur dioxide. Hardy and pruning-friendly, it’s mainly used for hedges. Its dense foliage makes it a great pollution-resistant ornamental, also serving as rootstock for osmanthus and lilac. Small-leaved privet is excellent for potted plants—small, evergreen, fast-growing, and easily shaped into bonsai within 3–5 years.

　　Through the tung tree ahead on the left, you can glimpse the southern hills locals call "Ten Thousand Cypress Mountain," home to the famous "A’dou Fort"—Liu Shan’s residence. The mountain’s northern slope is thick with cypresses. Legend says A’dou, gazing at the rolling hills and endless green waves, tried counting the trees but gave up, declaring, "Let’s call it Ten Thousand Cypress Mountain!"

　　At the eastern foot of A’dou Fort lies a flat, open area, seemingly man-made. Legend says it was Liu Shan’s racetrack—about 1 km², bordered by Longquan Reservoir to the north and the Golden Thread River to the west. To the south, rugged terrain is shaded by cypress forests, with cliffs and vines. Locals say A’dou loved racing, galloping daily from the mountain down to the track. Hence the tale: "A’dou’s whip spans fifty li, from Ten Thousand Cypress Mountain to Longquan River."

　　Here’s a clump of bamboo. Know its family? Neither woody nor grassy, it belongs to the subfamily Bambusoideae, related to wheat.

　　This is moso bamboo, with greener leaves. Also called "flower-patterned bamboo" in Henan, its graceful form and jade-like shoots suit large-scale planting or ornamental use. Rural areas often plant it for practicality and windbreaks. Its thin-walled, flexible culms are ideal for farming and weaving—used for poles, frames, mats, and more. Shoots are edible.

　　This is nandina, with larger leaves, mainly for ornamental purposes.

　　Descending the steps, you’ll find a 500-meter-long, 1.5-meter-wide forest path paved with large cobblestones. The area boasts beautiful surroundings, fresh air, lush greenery, and the sweet songs of birds. During the rainy season, drizzling rain, murmuring streams, and tinkling springs create a poetic atmosphere as visitors balance and play on the cobblestones.

　　What you see now are phoenix trees, also known as tung trees. The name comes from the saying “If you have a tung tree at home, you’ll attract a golden phoenix,” symbolizing people’s beautiful wishes. Since the tung tree is tall and upright, standing out among other trees, it has been highly valued since ancient times. It is often associated with the phoenix. As the king of birds, the phoenix prefers to perch on the tung tree, which shows how noble the tree is. For example, in China’s *Book of Songs* (*Shijing*), there are records about the tung tree. In *Shijing·Daya·Juan’a*, a poem reads: “The phoenix calls out, perched on the high ridge. The tung trees grow, basking in the rising sun. Their leaves are lush and green, and the phoenix sings harmoniously.”

　　This poem describes how the thriving tung trees attract the phoenix’s song. “Lush and green” refers to the tung trees’ abundance, while “the phoenix sings harmoniously” depicts the sound of the phoenix’s call.

　　The world-famous street tree—the “French plane tree”—is also commonly seen in parks and along roadsides in China. However, this is actually a misnomer. Chinese horticulturist Chen Zhi identified it as the *Platanus* tree. The so-called “French plane tree” is just one type of *Platanus*. There are three types planted in China, and all three can be found in Longquan, which fully demonstrates that Longquan truly deserves its title as the “Hometown of Flowers and Trees in China.” The fruit spikes of the *Platanus* tree may bear one, two, or more than three fruit balls, hence they are named accordingly: the one-ball *Platanus*, the two-ball *Platanus*, and the three-ball *Platanus*—these are three distinct species.

　　Why is the *Platanus* tree called the “French plane tree”? Originally, the leaves of this tree resemble those of the tung tree, leading to the misconception that it was a tung tree. Moreover, the “French plane tree” is not actually native to France. In the 17th century, in Oxford, England, people crossed the one-ball *Platanus* (also known as the American plane tree) and the three-ball *Platanus* (also known as the French plane tree) to create the two-ball *Platanus*, naming it the “English plane tree.” Because it was a hybrid, it had no original place of origin. After being widely cultivated in Europe, the French brought it to Shanghai, where it was planted along Xiafei Road (now the Huaihai Middle Road area) as a street tree. People began calling it the “French plane tree,” and the name stuck, leading to its mistaken identity as a tung tree.

　　Here stands an ancient well, which legend says was dug by Liu Shan (Emperor A’dou of Shu) during the Three Kingdoms period. He used the water from this well to irrigate flowers, plant trees, and grow grass, filling the area with fragrant blooms and lush vegetation. Later, he discovered the water was sweet, fragrant, refreshing, and pleasant to drink, so he used it for drinking, which contributed to his longevity. Visitors can try their hand at operating the well’s pulley to draw a bucket of sweet spring water, taste its cool freshness, and immerse themselves in the distant history of the Three Kingdoms. In the village, there is also an iron bell cast during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty. Originally, there were four bells, but only one remains. The bell stands 1.2 meters tall, is 0.8 meters in diameter, and weighs over 600 pounds. It is inscribed with the words “Long Live the Crown Prince” and features continuous Ming Dynasty-patterned engravings.

　　Walking left along this path will take you to the natural wetland landscape and A’dou Fort.

　　Legend has it that after Liu Shan and his family were exiled here, he brought his flower cultivation skills with him. He grew flowers and trees, shared joy with the locals, and spent his later years in peace. Elders from Wujiadong Village say that generations of residents here have been influenced by Liu Shan’s legacy of flower cultivation, making it a traditional industry. Today, Longquan has become a well-known “hometown of flowers.”

　　The village before you, with its rows of small buildings, is Wujiadong Village. With the support of the district government, Wujiadong Village has focused on new rural development, leveraging its rich eco-tourism resources to establish farmhouse inns. These offer rest, accommodation, dining, and entertainment for visitors, providing nearby urban residents with a great leisure destination.

　　“Cuckoo Spring” is one of the farmhouse inns in Wujiadong Village. As the saying goes, “When the cuckoo calls, honored guests arrive.” You are all our esteemed guests, and “Cuckoo Spring” warmly welcomes you to our home.

　　The farmhouses in the Flower Village are filled with the charm of the blooming season. “Wisteria Garden” is a prime example. The city flower of Anyang is the wisteria, and Longquan, known as the “back garden of Anyang,” also has a “Wisteria Garden.” Let’s step into the garden within the back garden.

　　“Magnolia Home” gets its name from the magnolia trees planted by the owner at the entrance. The home is set in a beautiful environment with complete facilities, and the hosts are kind, honest, and warm-hearted.

　　To the right of “Magnolia Home” is the “Thousand Birds Valley” scenic spot. The valley’s lush vegetation and serene environment attract many birds to nest and breed here. Especially in the evening or after the rain clears, the chirping of birds creates a scene like a painting of a hundred birds, attracting many photography enthusiasts.

　　The owner has planted many bamboo trees around the yard. “A spacious garden, nurturing my spirit”—bamboo represents tall and graceful plants. “In the cold, the green sleeves are thin, at dusk I lean on the slender bamboo.” Bamboo also symbolizes resilience and unyielding spirit.

　　Standing at the entrance of the Moon-Viewing Pavilion, you can smell the fragrance of osmanthus, gaze at the bright moon, and overlook A’dou Fort, immersing yourself in the ancient sentiment of “so happy that one forgets to return to Shu.”

　　Wujiadong Village enjoys convenient transportation, with intercity buses between Anyang and Shanying passing through. It is suitable for suburban trips, self-driving tours, and educational travel.