SOFIA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- A festival dedicated to China's national flower, the peony, was held Saturday afternoon in Sofia's South Park, to mark the first blooming of the peony garden established last autumn with plants donated by China's Heze City, renowned as the "Peony Capital."
Over the course of three and a half hours of the event titled "Peony Festival -- A Meeting of Cultures," visitors enjoyed a wide array of cultural experiences, including peony-themed painting and craft workshops, a photo exhibition, tea tastings, traditional Chinese peony desserts, and displays of traditional Chinese arts.
The event drew strong public interest. "This is the first time I've seen something like this. I really love Chinese culture, and I'm pleasantly surprised by this event. Well done!" said Margarita Tzvetkova, a local in her 40s who had just returned from a two-week trip to Shanghai, Xi'an, and Beijing.
At the opening ceremony, Wang Min, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, called the festival "a celebration of spring, flowers, friendship, and beauty."
She described the Heze peonies blooming in Sofia as a symbol of cultural continuity, expressing hope that they would grow and bloom each year as a living link of friendship between China and Bulgaria.
Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, in a congratulatory message, praised the festival as "a remarkable event that reflects the richness of Chinese culture and a commitment to dialogue, mutual understanding, and friendship."
He emphasized the symbolism of the peony, representing nobility, prosperity, and happiness, as a powerful message of harmony and shared values that resonate deeply with the Bulgarian people.
"Cultural events like this serve as bridges between traditions and help unite us through diversity," he added. Enditem
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