Peony

A bloodied peony

A peony is a flowering plant in the genus Paeonia known for its voluminous and vibrant flowers ranging from white to violet and red. It is remembered today as the most beloved flower of the Tang people owing to its exquisite status and ubiquitous popularity in that era of Chinese history.

History

According to Taiwanese professor Li Shu-t'ung (李樹桐)'s Examining the Tang People's Love for the Peony (唐人喜愛牡丹考), the peony first began to make its name during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang in the approximately twenty-year span between 655 and 683. At the time, the exalted status of the flower gave rise to countless references in Tang poems and historical records. From Zhang Youxin (張又新)'s poem "Peony" in The Compendium of Tang Poetry (全唐詩) comes the iconic line "A peony is worth a thousand gold, ever misplaced for the deepest hues" which has been passed down to the present day.

By 754, peonies were being grown as a luxurious commodity, especially at flower farms like Duling village. Duling was known for their beautiful and famous peonies, which were the necessary flowers for Yang Guozhong, Chancellor of the Right for Emperor Xuanzong. For his exhibit, the Shifting Spring Cage, for the Flower Banquet, Guozhong sent his gang to Duling to acquire their peonies, which ended with the gang forcibly stealing the flowers and murdering seventeen villagers in the process. Enraged at the crime, the Hidden One Li E sought out, found, and killed two gang members transporting a cart and held one at blade-point. Interrogating the last member, Li E was told that their boss was on palace grounds but killed the man nonetheless, and then taking a bloody peony afterwards.

Behind the scenes

In Chinese history, peony exhibitions are held and cultivated annually, in the ancient city of Luoyang. ^{[citation needed]}

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Dynasty (first appearance)