The price for fresh-cut flowers has soared in Kunming City of southwest China's Yunnan Province as the Qixi Festival, also known as the Chinese Valentine's Day, is around the corner.
The Qixi Festival, originating from a 2,000-year-old legend of two lovers, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar. This year the festival falls on Aug 10.
The Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center experienced its peak for Qixi Festival flower sales between Aug 2 and 9, with the highest daily supply reaching 9.8 million flower stems and an average daily transaction volume of around 8 million.
"Roses with large heads, thick petals and cup-shaped blooms are in high demand, so are small, fresh and natural-looking flowers. Among the best-selling flowers this year, white varieties have seen particularly strong pricing," said Li Zhijun, an auctioneer at the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center.
Due to a decrease in flower supply this year, market prices have risen by 40 percent compared to the previous year, and the prices of certain popular flower varieties have continued to rise as the Qixi Festival approaches.
"The price [of the 'pride rose' variety] can reach 6.5 yuan (about 0.9 U.S. dollars) per stem, tripling the normal price level," said Li.
A flower company in the city was brightly lit at night, with live streaming to sell flowers in full swing and the staff working rapidly to pack the flowers into boxes, racing against the clock to reach customers across the country.
"We started preparing the inventory between Aug 1 and 2, and the market rushed to purchase the flowers at that time. The flower market at this year's Qixi Festival was very robust," said Zhang Yihao, head of the flower company.
At the city's Dounan Flower Market, Asia's largest fresh-cut flower trading market, customers are also rushing to buy flowers, hoping to create a romantic atmosphere in their homes.
Price of flowers soars in Yunnan ahead of Chinese Valentine's Day
A host of dazzling activities are delighting locals and visitors across China as celebrations get in full swing for the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Tuesday this year.
The festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. With a history dating back more than a millennium, it is a cherished occasion for family reunions across China, with revelers eating mooncakes, appreciating the full moon and lighting lanterns.
Much of the festival is centered around paying homage to the moon and that is very much the case in the east China metropolis of Shanghai, where it has become popular to gather around lakes or along rivers where the moon's reflection can be seen shimmering in the water.
During this year's festive period, Shanghai's Yuyuan Gardens, one of the city's most famous scenic spots, has created 12 moon-themed installations, drawing inspiration from the mythological stories from one of China's oldest and most treasured literary works, 'The Classic of Mountains and Seas', which dates back more than 2,200 years.
"I like this full moon the most because it symbolizes completeness and harmony," said young visitor Yao Youchen as she highlighted her favorite among the giant lanterns on display.
Many others across China have been taking advantage of the chance to head out and explore various sights and scenery during the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday that started on Sunday.
Among of the most eye-catching attractions is a stunning molten iron flower fireworks show which is lighting up the night sky in Jingzhou of central China's Hubei Province.
As one of China's national intangible cultural heritages, the molten iron flower fireworks show features scrap iron being melted to 1,600 degrees Celsius and then thrown against a cold wall to create a dramatic firework effect.
The seemingly dangerous yet dazzling performance is deemed a must-see highlight for anyone flocking to the area.
"I find watching the iron flower firework show to be very stirring," said Lu Qing, one of the impressed tourists.
Visitors to Jingzhou can also enjoy a series of lantern parades, with decorated floats in a multitude of different designs illuminating the city with colorful lights and adding to the vibrant festive atmosphere.
Night skies lit up by lanterns, molten iron flower fireworks to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival
