Nanjing International Sweet Osmanthus Festival Opens

On the morning of September 20th, opening ceremony of the annual Nanjing International Sweet Osmanthus Festival was held on Philanthropism Square of Zhongshanling. The festival is an important part of 2010 World Historical & Cultural Cities Expo, Nanjing China. From now to October 7th, tourists will be able to not only appreciate the sweet osmanthus and enjoy its scent but also watch many wonderful performances.

Linggu Temple Scenic Spot has a sweet osmanthus king tree , which has been in full bloom. Many tourists attracted by its scent come to see the tree. Guan Qinghua, deputy director general of Zhongshanlin Administration told the journalist that, in previous years, sweet osmanthus in Zhongshanlin usually blossomed around September 22nd.

However, consecutive high temperature days with little rain this year resulted in delay of full bloom for about one week. The weather forecast says that it will rain and temperature will drop during the Mid-autumn Festival. After that, the full bloom period will come, said Guan Qinghua. So the best time to appreciate the flowers is end September to October 7th this year.

Zhonghanling Scenic Area has got sweet osmanthus trees of over 40 species for a long time. Most of them are grown in Linggu Scenic Spot, backyard garden of Dr. Sun Yet-san s Mausoleum, and along the sacred way of Ming Tomb and ambulatory of the Music Stage, especially in Linggu Scenic Spot.

Mid-autumn and National Day Holiday will overlap with the festival so Zhonghshanlin will stage more exciting activities for tourists, such as a symphonic concert during Oct.1-6, folk song and Baiju performances on the sweet osmanthus king stage and traditional sweet osmanthus food fair.