$ [3 G: o/ R# q* [Can’t decide on a favourite flower? Then pick them both - ]. Z, O3 m) Q6 [( v9 l 1 o& O3 s4 Z. ^The peony or the plum blossom? For years Chinese academics and politicians have been divided over which should be the country’s national flower. Now support seems to be growing for a beautifully Chinese solution: “one country, two flowers”. That would allow both to be used to portray different national traits. * [1 P9 c) B3 ~/ P/ Y6 B5 A( @ s 0 N9 T6 A: f4 v1 w, B* I/ PChen Junyu, a professor of Beijing Forestry University, has gathered 102 signatures from members of the academies of sciences and social sciences in support of his campaign for the two flowers solution. 8 I% {5 |2 L& ?4 G! k( S' v$ r1 W% ]: W3 q" L3 }! | b
Debate has dragged on since 1982. Local vested interests eager to see their regional bloom chosen to represent the nation are also prolonging the discussion. Government officials are reluctant to take a stand for fear of offending someone — or everyone.' W2 y0 @( k7 E/ a
8 M7 {% Z8 h( j+ n) O9 NProfessor Chen is winning increasing support for his idea, based on the “one country, two systems” deal under which Britain handed Hong Kong back to China a decade ago. The 90-year-old academic is hoping for a decision before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 5 A: a/ z( J5 Q% @$ @6 J9 O# J1 m0 q
He told The Times: “I don’t think this has anything to do with politics or regional interests. There are some people who care about this and promote the flowers from their own areas and that’s because our country has a habit of linking everything to politics. But this is just a flower.” # X) _. R% [4 f+ i; J9 p/ W ! c2 p5 [) K. @& lThe luxuriant ruffled petals of the peony were prized by many emperors. At one time the flower was restricted to imperial use and the Dowager Empress Ci Xi named the bloom as China’s national flower in the late 19th century. The peony was the first choice of most Chinese who voted in the debate. ) B* M$ h" a0 U% b3 X5 Y( E; O' K 8 Y7 Z; p/ x# C2 iThe plum blossom, tiny pale pink buds blossoming at the start of spring, is associated in China with resilience of spirit.1 P0 B4 q9 T3 m" O4 j5 O
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Some politicians, however, regard it as a hot potato. It was the symbol of the nationalist Government that ruled until defeat by the Communists in 1949 when it fled to Taiwan. There it is, in effect, the national flower, appearing on everything from aircraft to stamps.
