芍药在中国有很悠久的栽培历史。《诗经·郑风·溱洧》有“维士与女,伊其相谑,赠之以芍药”之句,意思是男女相聚,又说又笑,互相赠以芍药。后来人们在男女交往中,常相赠芍药以为结情之约,或表惜别之情,芍药因此得名“将离草”。 天下芍药,以扬州为最,故芍药又名“扬花”。《渔隐丛话》一书记载:宋代蔡繁卿任扬州太守时,每年都要举办万花会,展出的花有千万余枝。这些花都搜罗自民间,“既残诸园,又吏因缘为奸,民大病之”。后采苏东坡任扬州太守,问起民间疾苦,都说万花会是第一大害。苏东坡废除了万花会,不再举办。从此,芍药不受摧残,在扬州繁盛起来,称冠天下。当时,光朱氏花园南北二圃就种植芍药五六万株;禅智寺有个很大的芍药园,设有芍药厅,汇聚了一州绝品。 Peony in China has a long history of cultivation. “The Book of Songs Zheng Feng 溱 洧” There are “Vysehwar and women, Iraq banana, gift of peony” sentence, meaning men and women together, but also said with a smile, each other with peony. Later, men and women in the exchanges, often presented peony medicine for the lust of the Covenant, or table farewell, Peony named “will be from the grass.” Peony in the world, with Yangzhou as the most, so the peony known as “flowering.” “Yuanyinongconghua,” a book records: the Song Dynasty CAI Fanqing as Yangzhou prefect, every year to host thousands of flowers will be displayed on the flowers have more than ten thousand sticks. These Huadu collected from the private sector, “both remnants of the park, and officials attributed to the rape, the people of the disease.” Possession Su Dongpo any Yangzhou Prefecture, asked the civilian suffering, say million flowers will be the first major harm. Su Dongpo abolished thousands of flowers, no longer hold. Since then, peony unbreakable, prosperous in Yangzhou, said the crown world. At that time, Guangzhu Garden North and South two nurseries planted fifty or sixty peony plants; Zen Temple has a large Peony Garden, with Peony Hall, brought together a state of special.