Laojundong Scenic Area, a key scenic component of Xixia Branch Park in Mt. Funiushan UNESCO Global Geopark, is located in Erlangping Township of Xixia County, Henan Province. It boasts a reputation of being both the “lung of Mt. Funiushan” and an important “ecological gene pool”, where the rate of forest coverage stands at 98%. Here, the total plantation area of bauhinia flowers, all of which are pure wild ones, reaches 180 thousand mu (1mu=0.0667 hectares). Situated on the southern slope of Mt. Funiushan, this area is endowed with unique seasonal and vertical difference that allows for the alternate blossoming of flowers within the limits of one vertical slope (from the bottom toward the top). During flowering seasons, the mountain slopes are strewn with flaming bauhinia flowers, creating spectacular scenery for tourists to marvel upon and take pictures of. Hence, it is decided that from April 1st to 25, 2015, the 6th Chinese Bauhinia Flower Festival will be held in Laojundong Scenic Area, Xixia County.

       To add splendor and glamour to this pageant, the superintendents of Laojundong Scenic Area will hold a grand opening ceremony of the 6th Chinese Bauhinia Flower Festival on April 11, 2015. One of the highlights of the opening ceremony will be the performances by beautiful models wearing the headdress and makeup of actresses in Henan opera or Yuju opera, formerly known as Henan bangzi, one of China’s famous national opera forms. Unlike in the past, these models will be dressed in bikini-style Henan opera costumes with feather headdresses, walking out from the T platform and passing through clusters of bauhinia flowers, looking like time travelers. Meanwhile, fine arts artists are expected to paint images of bauhinia flowers onto the models’ bodies. This will be a perfect intermingling of the old and the modern, of the national and the international, as well as of man and nature, which will surely be a feast of vision. During the bauhinia festival, the “flower fairies” will be welcoming you at the entrance of the scenic area, and will be accompanying you to wander through the sea of bauhinia flowers and enjoy, to the fullest, the pleasures of wild forest SPA.

        This year’s bauhinia flower festival coincides with an ancient local temple fair which will fall on the 15th day of February in the Chinese lunar calendar. The ancient temple fair will last three days starting from April 3 in the Gregorian calendar. Tourists will have a chance to enjoy the ancient temple fair that has lasted for thousands of years while appreciating flowers in a spring outing. We hereby extend a warm welcome to all!