Flower festival blooms as tradition fully blossoms

The ongoing Huazhao Festival, or flower festival, at Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai is offering visitors immersive experience of traditional Chinese culture.

Celebrated for over 2,000 years, the festival is held in the second month of the lunar calendar to commemorate the birthday of the flower goddess. According to ancient beliefs, the flower goddess controls human reproduction, and it became customary to celebrate her birthday to invite prosperity.

Despite regional differences in celebrating, the resurrected Huazhao festival usually shares a number of features; hanfu, traditional Chinese attire, flower appreciation and traditional culture.

Running through April 27, the festival at Yuyuan Garden features colorful installations based on flowers and flower fairies. A slew of activities is also taking place to help immerse visitors in a traditional Chinese culture vibe, including light shows, performances, markets, parades and interactive events.

According to the festival's organizers, enthusiasm for traditional culture has been growing among young people in recent years. Products and activities featuring traditional elements combined with modern designs — dubbed the "new Chinese style" — are becoming increasingly popular. Through special events like the Huazhao celebrations, the organizers aim to promote traditional culture and boost spending at the same time.