Flower Power

You've seen the adverts, you know how it goes.

A young man stands nervously waiting for a door to open. Behind his back, there's a single red rose wrapped in clear plastic and a silver ribbon trailing to the ground. A woman rushes from a flower shop carrying a large bunch of white chrysanthemums. She jumps into a waiting taxi and says "The hospital, please." In airport arrivals, a little girl stands beside her mother. She clutches a sweet smelling small bouquet of freesias. "Is grandma here yet?" she asks.

Whether they say "I love you", "Get well" or "I've missed you," flowers never fail to gift wrap the right emotional message. 

As Valentine's Day approaches (on February 14), China's cut-flower industry holds its breath. The export volume of flowers and plants amounts to US$3.6 billion annually, a whopping one-sixth of the country's US$21.43 billion agricultural product exports.

Flowers have almost the same use as symbols of love and affection or as emblems of beauty in China as anywhere else in the world.

The favoured subject of many painters, China particularly loves its native lotus flowers, the peony rose and chrysanthemums, although the peony rose and lotus flowers are rarely found in flower shops. Perfumed and exquisite, these flowers are symbols of perseverance, renewal and devotion. They are universally reproduced, along with other favoured national themes, in art, literature and opera.

Less rare are the local flower shops dotted in easy-to-spot locations throughout the city. Providing cost-efficient flowers and a very friendly service, the local shops now compete strongly against large flower markets found in less-accessible parts of the city.

My Fair Lady

Iris Jin of the Iris Flower Shop in Zhong Lu is the proprietor of a blossoming flower business and is knowledgeable about the role flowers play in Chinese culture. 

Jin explains: "Although foreigners (waigouren) like to decorate their homes with flowers, Chinese tend not to use flowers for this purpose." 

Instead, Chinese use them to celebrate events, Jin says, particularly occasions such as births, hospital visits and funerals.

"Chinese don't usually put flowers in their home, or very rarely," says Jin.  "In China, flowers are still considered an extravagance."

Despite this, although telephone flower services like Interflora don't yet exist in China, some Chinese flower companies have established Internet arms that provide flower-delivery services.

Another interesting fact is there is not much historical significance attached to romantic flower-giving in China, although flowers do have a place in Chinese history.

For the ruling Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) nobility, flower arranging was an important pastime and was considered something of an art form, but there was no significance to the act of giving flowers among the nobility.

China has an equivalent of St. Valentine's Day called qixi (the seventh evening of the seventh month on the lunar calendar, when the herds boy and weaving girl are supposed to meet) that celebrates a romantic love story. This is a relatively recent phenomenon and falls on July 7.

St. Valentine's Day is also popularly celebrated in China.

"At Valentine's, men and boys are my biggest customers," Jin said. "The red rose is the most popular flower, followed by pink and white roses."

Also popular at this time of year are the tulip and iris, the owner's namesake, and the strongly scented, multicoloured freesia.

At other times of the year, flower giving follows convention. Carnations are typically given to one's parents; single red roses to girlfriends.

For official openings and presentations the kaiye, a large arrangement of flowers in a free-standing wicker basket, is used. For such occasions, the kaiye tend to be used in large numbers.

"But by far the most popular flower all year round is the lily (xiangshui baihe)" says Jin.

One year in business, Iris Flowers is doing well. Customers are made up of equal amounts of waiguoren and local Chinese. 

"Customers spend on average 80 yuan-100 yuan for a bouquet, 40 yuan-50 yuan for smaller bunches throughout the year. At Valentines they spend 150 yuan-200 yuan per person."

This Valentine's, Jin recommends giving chocolates with flowers, and a red rose.

"In China, the rose is an expensive flower. It expresses your generosity and symbolizes the depth of your feeling," she said.

In time for this St. Valentine's Day, on February 14, check out Beijing's flower markets and while you're at it, get to know the local flower shops in your area.

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Iris Flower Shop

Iris Jin

Address: #56, Xinfucun Zhonglu, Next to the Just Make Building, Chaoyang District

朝阳区幸福村中路56号

Tel: +86 10 6417 8642

Mobile: 135001333766

Email: iris_flowers@hanmail.net

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Laitai Flower Market

莱太花卉市场

Address: 9 Maizidian Xilu, between the Landmark Hotel and the Lufthansa Centre overlooking the Liangma River

朝阳区麦子店西路9号

WWW: http://www.laitai.com

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Beijing Grand View Garden of Flowers

北京世界花卉大观园

Address: near Caoqiao, South Fourth Ring Road

丰台区草桥南四环路马家楼立交桥北侧