奇速英语

民意调查：牡丹将有望当选国花

The peony has won overwhelming public support in an online poll over which flower should be China’s national bloom, the China Flower Association announced.
Those who took part in the nationwide polling, could choose from 10 nominees: peony, wintersweet, chrysanthemum, orchid, camellia, lotus, sweet-scented osmanthus, Chinese rose, azalea and narcissus. Out of 362,264 votes cast, 79 percent went to the peony, followed by 12 percent for wintersweet and 2 percent for orchid. About 1.9 percent voted lotus, while the rest cumulatively received less than 1 percent. The association said the peony — the flower it had recommended — is now awaiting approval from the central government to become the country’s national flower.
With a 4,000-year history in China, the peony is widely seen around the country. Apart from its ornamental value, it also has been used as a food and traditional Chinese herb, so it also has strong economic value.
The association said China’s national flower should meet four criteria for consideration: it should originate in China and be ubiquitous in many regions; it should be beautiful in shape and color to represent Chinese culture and personality; it should have profound historical grounding and be widely known to the public and it should be used in many fields in ways that benefit the public.