The “Black Peony“ is associated with the Empress Wu Zetian. It is said that to celebrate her birthday, the empress ordered all flowers to bloom. However, the peonies refused to blossom as commanded. Enraged, Wu Zetian banished the peonies from Chang'an. The peonies, deeply attached to their homeland, would rather be burned to ashes than leave. The following year, these peonies bloomed with flowers that were black with a hint of red, resembling a phoenix reborn from the flames. Thus, they were named the “Black Peony“.

　　一朵牡丹花讲述千古情。除了这些传统牡丹品种外，1949年至1978年间，菏泽还培育出近300个牡丹新品种，花更大、色更艳、抗病能力更强，比如冠世墨玉、乌金耀辉、香玉等，是菏泽为中国牡丹产业发展作出的又一个历史性贡献。

　　A single peony tells a timeless tale. In addition to the traditional varieties, Heze cultivated nearly 300 new peony varieties between 1949 and 1978. These new varieties feature larger blooms, more vibrant colors, and stronger disease resistance. Examples include Guanshi Moyu, Wujin Yaohui and Xiangyu. This represents another historic contribution of Heze to the development of China's peony industry.

　　如今，菏泽牡丹已从传统的观赏花卉，发展成为一个蓬勃发展的产业。每年春季，菏泽国际牡丹文化旅游节吸引着数以百万计的游客，牡丹的芬芳与色彩成为这座城市的名片。将千年花韵转化为现代经济的活力，菏泽牡丹的每一次绽放，都在诉说着新的传奇。