The solar term of Grain Rain (“Guyu”, 谷雨) falls on April 20th in 2021. Grain Rain is the 6th of the 24 solar terms of a year, and the last term of spring. It originates from the old saying, “Rain brings up the growth of hundreds of grains”. It is also the time to see the bloom of the peony, the “king of flowers” in Chinese culture.

Appreciating the beauty peony during Grain Rain is a long-established custom in China. In Quancheng Park in Jinan, Shandong province, peonies of all varieties have been blooming since mid-April, attracting many citizens and tourists.

Cultivated for millennia in China, the peony is highly revered in Chinese culture, symbolizing honor, wealth, and aristocracy, as well as love, affection, and beauty.