IT is that time of year, when people rush to the beautiful parks and countryside to enjoy romantic cherry blossoms. In Japanese culture, cherry blossoms exemplify the transient nature of life because of their short-lived blooms, whereas in China they symbolize femininity and love with their fragrant petals.

    Wuhan University, Wuhan,

    Hubei Province

    Wuhan University may be the most famous place in China when it comes to cherry blossoms. Every year starting in March, people across the country fly to the 120-year-old university to enjoy the romantic pink sea around the ancient buildings across the university.

    The university is home to Cherry Garden, Bay Garden, Plum Garden and Maple Garden, but Cherry Garden is the most famous.

    Although the garden is small, it is the most beautiful spot on campus during cherry blossom season.

    Walking along Cherry Blossom Avenue, you can see nearly 200 pure Tokyo cherry trees blossoming along the 300-meter-long avenue.

    The best spot is a roof platform at Laozhaishe, a student dormitory building.

    The university introduced measures to limit the number of visitors each day, so it is best to arrive early in the morning.

    Transport: Fly to Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, from Shenzhen airport and take a taxi to the university.

    Yuyuantan Park, Beijing

    In 1972, Japan gave China 1,000 cherry trees as a gift to mark the friendship between China and Japan. Among these, 800 trees were planted in several parks in Beijing, and Yuyuantan Park is now the largest and the most popular spot for cherry blossoms in the city.

    There are now around 199,500 plants, including 2,000 cherry trees of over 20 different species, in the park.

    The best time for viewing the beautiful pink flowers is the first two weeks of April. During this time, the park hosts an annual cherry blossom festival. Tickets for the cherry blossom festival are normally around 10 yuan.

    Other blossoming trees such as peach and tulip flowers can also be found. There are many things to do in the park, so it is an ideal family destination.

    The lake is also popular for boating, and it is possible to get a boat from here to the Summer Palace.

    Transport: Fly to Beijing from Shenzhen airport and take a taxi to the park.

    Sunflower Garden, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

    If you don’t want to travel far, the Sunflower Garden in Guangzhou is also a recommended place to visit.

    Located in Nansha District, the garden is a well-known place for plants and flowers in the province. Currently, there are 6,000 cherry blossom trees of 10 different types in the park.

    April to June is a good time to see the flowers in the park, but March is the best time to enjoy the romantic blossoms.

    The park is also an ideal place for flowers in spring, which is perfect for a weekend outing. Many couples in the province choose to take their wedding pictures in the park.

    When visiting the park, steamed chicken is a must-try delicacy.

    Transport: Take a train to Guangzhou from Shenzhen Railway Station and take a taxi to the park.

    (Wang Yuanyuan)