On April 29, International Horticultural Exhibition Beijing was officially opened to visitors.

Having been exhibited frequently on major political occasions of China, Dongyang wood-carving was also present at the event. Gorgeous Peonies, a floor-to-ceiling wood-carving screen of Dongyang, was displayed in the Zhejiang Hall titled “Picturesque Landscapes of Zhejiang Arousing Homesickness”.

Designed and produced by Lu Guangzheng, a consummate craftsman in both China and Asia-Pacific region, this wood-carving work was placed in an antique architecture at the core scenic spot “Butterfly Courtyard”.

At the foreground is a cluster of peonies which symbolize glory and wealth. Two pheasants are standing on the rockery among the flowers, of which one pheasant’s tail is flying, echoing to the peonies on its left. If you observe it carefully, you will find that although the peonies in the garden adopt different poses, their plump petals unexceptionally face the pheasant, forming an atmosphere of “a flourishing state”. At the center is a green space. A pavilion with a hexagonal two-level pyramidal roof stands right in the center, which forms a classical and elegant picture with the clouds and birds as the background, conveying an auspicious connotation.

Made of fine and delicate basswood, the entire screen is endowed with a novel theme, elaborate craftsmanship and poetic imagery.

Zhejiang is a place full of cultural charm. “For any theme, craftsmen of Dongyang wood-carving will study its tradition, present cultural scenes and tell good stories of China to the audience,” Master Lu said. It was expected that Dongyang wood-carving, with the platform of the event, can blend into the Belt and Road Initiative at a faster pace.

(Executive Editor: Liu LIU)