Cherry blossoms at Wuhan University

People flock to the cherry blossom garden in Wuhan University on the first day it began selling tickets in Wuhan city, capital of Central China's Hubei province, March 21, 2014. [Photo/icpress.cn]

Wuhan, located at the confluence of the Yangtze River and Han River, is known as "the River City". But you may not know that it is also a flower city. In spring, plum flowers, peach blossoms, apricot blossoms and rape flowers burst forth in succession with the most famous of all being cherry blossoms.

"Take the high-speed rail to Wuhan for cherry blossoms" has become a tourism slogan of the city. In March, when you encounter tourists speaking different dialects in Wuhan, you will realize that the season for cherry blossoms has come.

There are two places to enjoy cherry blossoms in Wuhan, namely the Cherry Garden in Wuhan University and Donghu Scenic Resort. However, Wuhan residents and tourists coming from afar prefer squeezing with the crowds in Wuhan University to enjoy the cherry blossoms.

People flock to the cherry blossom garden in Wuhan University on the first day it began selling tickets in Wuhan city, capital of Central China's Hubei province, March 21, 2014. [Photo/icpress.cn]

Wuhan University, with a history of more than 120 years, is made up of the Cherry Garden, the Bay Garden, the Plum Garden and the Maple Garden, of which the Cherry Garden is the most famous. The Cherry Garden is quite small, but is the most beautiful spot on campus. Walking on the Cherry Blossoms Avenue, you can see nearly 200 pure Tokyo cherry trees blossoming along the 300-meter-long avenue like a white jade belt floating in the air. Looking down from the roof platform of Laozhaishe (students’ dormitory building), one would find the cherry blossoms like flying clouds amidst the green in the garden.

The prime flowering season of the cherry trees is about a week around March 20, during which about 100,000 visitors flock to the university and enjoy the blossoms each day. Although Wuhan University has been carrying out some measures to limit the number of visitors, such as charging money for admission, they do not seem to be very effective in reducing the crowds.

Why is there an area of gorgeous cherry blossoms in Wuhan University in central China? It indeed has something to do with the Chinese people’s war of resistance against Japan. In 1938, the Japanese invaders occupied Wuhan，making Wuhan University a field hospital. In the spring of 1939, cherry trees were introduced from Japan to Wuhan University, and these were the first cherry trees on the campus of Wuhan University. After the diplomatic relations between China and Japan noramlized, Wuhan University received more cherry trees from Japan as a gift.

Cherry trees were also introduced through other channels and replanted, so the number has increased to more than 1,000 in Wuhan University with four botanical species and more than a dozen cultivars.

Today, more and more people are heading to Wuhan University campus not only to enjoy cherry blossoms but also feel the atmosphere of a time-honored university and reminisce about the times of their youth.