The Japanese believe cherry blossoms exemplify the transient nature of life because of their short-lived blooms. In China, however, they symbolize feminine beauty, or love in the language of fragrant petals.

March and April are the best time to enjoy the stunning beauty of cherry blossoms, and in China the most splendid can be found in the cities of Kunming, Wuhan and Beijing.

Kunming Yuantong Mountain in Yunnan Province

Kunming, also known as "The Spring City," in southwest China, is home to about 10,000 cherry trees planted in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The florescence of cherry blossoms lasts a scant one week.

March is the best time to appreciate the stunningly beautiful scene of cherry blossoms in Kunming. The Yuantong Mountain, lying to the northeast of Kunming, is where you can find cherry blossoms as gorgeous as you'd see in Japan.

In every spring, Yuantong Mountain draws a large number of tourists to the city. Cherry trees in Kunming bloom earlier than those in Japan due to Kunming's warm weather and low latitude. Every spring the city is in a romantic mood as cherry blossoms form a sea of pink that covers an area of more than 10,000 square meters.

The flowers look like little bells that wave in the breeze. Take a deep breath and you are well in the center of spring.

Take a romantic stroll about the pink flowers with your love while the petals whirl around and fall in the breeze.

On the mountain there is also a Yuantong Zoo, where you can have a close look at 140 varieties of animals, such as elephants, gaurs, Mengla tigers, pandas, leopards, eagles, Australian kangaroos, cassowaries, African zebras, giraffes and panthers.

Transport: Take a plane to Kunming from Shenzhen International Airport in Bao'an District, and then take a bus or taxi to Yuantong Mountain. The whole trip takes less than three hours.

Accommodation: A standard room in a three-star hotel costs around 200 yuan per night, while one night in a hostel costs between 40 to 200 yuan. Kunming Camellia Hotel and Kunming International Youth Hostel are recommended.

Cuisine: You cannot miss the rice noodles and Yuannan-style steamed chicken. The best rice noodles can be found in Fuhua Yuan next to Jingxing Street for between 10 and 280 yuan. There are also a wide variety of local snacks on Shangyi Street.

Wuhan University in Hubei Province

Wuhan University, which is situated in Wuhan City, Hubei Province in central China, is a well-known site for cherry blossoms in China.

While cherry blossoms in Kunming are pink, Wuhan University is home to a white variety. If the cherry blossoms in Kunming are for you to experience the charm of spring, then those in Wuhan will have you reminiscing about your university life.

In middle to late March, more than 1,000 cherry trees on the campus blossom, creating a magnificent scene for visitors. Most of the cherry blossoms are near the Cherry Blossom Garden.

Many Japanese cherry trees were planted near the garden in 1938 when the city was occupied by the Japanese army. As they blossom, the area around the garden becomes an ocean of white flowers.

There is also a popular Cherry Blossom Lane near the old library, and students are proud to point you to buildings along the lane which are state cultural sites.

Transport: Take a plane to Wuhan from Shenzhen International Airport in Bao'an District, and then take a bus to Fujiapo Bus Station. There you can take Bus No. 806 for two yuan or a taxi for less than 15 yuan to Wuhan University. Bus service at the airport, however, stops at 8 p.m., and a taxi to the university costs around 100 yuan. The whole trip takes about three hours.

Accommodation: Luojia Villa in the university and East Lake Hotel next to the university are recommended. If you stay on campus, you can watch movies at the outdoor cinema, which is surrounded by cherry trees.

Cuisine: Try the campus food in the students' canteen or the local snacks in Jiqing Street or Hubu Lane.

Yuyuantan Park in Beijing

Yuyuantan Park, situated in the busy Haiding District, has a cherry blossom garden in its west corner where there are more than 2,000 cherry trees of over 20 species. It's the park with the highest number of cherry trees in Beijing.

The cherry trees were transplanted from Japan in the 1970s to mark the friendship between the two countries.

Beijing's flower power generally peaks in April, one month later than the warmer south. Late March to late April is the best time to visit Yuyuantan Park for pink cherry blossoms.

Although cherry blossoms on a particular kind of tree usually last only a week, the park has many different species so the blossom fest lasts about a month.

The park will also hold the 20th Yuyuantan Park Cherry Blossom Festival soon. The month-long annual event attracted flocks of visitors from home and abroad in the past years.

Boating is also a popular pastime here, offering a fresh view of the flowering trees.

Transport: Take a plane to Beijing from Shenzhen International Airport in Bao'an District and then a bus to Gongzhufen, or Princess Tomb, for 16 yuan. Opposite the Gongzhufen stop is Yuyuantan Park's west gate. Or you can take the subway to the Chinese Military Museum (Jun Shi Bo Wu Guan), and the park is about 500 meters northwest of the station. The whole trip takes less than four hours.

Accommodation: There are hotels, hostels and Beijing traditional courtyards to choose from.

Cuisine: Beijing is famous for a wide variety of food, including roast duck, shish kebab, tanghulu, which is made of sugarcoated hawthorn fruit or other fruit on a stick, and ludagun, a kind of cake made with steamed sticky rice, filled with red bean paste and then sprinkled with fried bean flour.

(Shenzhen Daily March 16, 2009)