Face masks were back out in force in Nanjing’s open air yesterday, for the impromptu, annual mass gathering to witness the city’s spring blossom around Xuanwu Lake, as the young, the old and the hungry descended on the area in their thousands.
There was not a parking space to be had for kilometres around Nanjing’s Xuanwu Lake yesterday, 11 March. A respite in the rains of late brought both the sun and the crowds out, in what is now an annual pilgrimage to witness spring blossoming in Nanjing.
And it was these very rains that accelerated this year’s blooming, transferring parts of Nanjing into a barrage of pink and yellow.
The unofficial Nanjing festival began this year over 2 weeks ago, with the first blossoms of the “courier cherry tree”. As reported by ECNS, “Because it blooms about 10 days earlier than the cherry trees around it, it is called ‘the courier of cherry blossom season’, which means that the cherry blossom season in Nanjing will come as soon as it blooms.”
Many flocked then to see the courier cherry, located near Jiming Temple, beside the City Wall at Jiefang Men. And the popular local draw was not short of visitors yesterday too, many of whom coming with empty stomachs.
Situated at the base of the temple, Jinmingsi Vegetarian Restaurant was sold out yesterday lunchtime. Open since the 80s and especially popular with tourists, the restaurant had laid on a special cherry-blossom themed menu.
As ever, others came to Xuanwu Lake armed to the hilt with professional photography equipment. Some were news agency freelancers, out in force to satisfy Chinese media’s obsession with Nanjing’s cherry blossom. Others were simply enthusiasts, taking part in the retired man’s hobby of photographing flowers that is unique to China.
Elsewhere, many older visitors were also to be seen waking along Beijing Dong Lu to visit the area, having only been able to find parking as far away as Catherine Park.
Then there was the young, as Nanjing’s higher learning institutions this year splutter back into life in fits and starts. Therefore, many freshly-returned students have found themselves with more time on their hands than they expected. Hence the unusually high proportion of younger people who had turned out yesterday to take in the sights of Nanjing’s cherry blossom in bloom.
