“How many possibilities can a single flower hold?“ On April 10, this question found its most vivid answer at the 2025 Heze Peony International Communication Forum. Cultural scholars, multinational corporate representatives, and young entrepreneurs from around the world gathered due to this 1,500-year-old Eastern bloom. As international guests immersed themselves in creating large-scale meticulous brushwork peony paintings, as flowers in Sofia’s South Park in Bulgaria bloomed virtually, and as Gen Z influencers and traditional Chinese medicine experts debated “multifaceted strategies to globalize peony culture“—Heze’s peony quietly transformed into a cross-cultural ambassador and economic catalyst.

　　Scholar: Peonies Bloom in Global Civilizational Exchange

　　In the eyes of Agshin Aliyev, the director of the Department of Azerbaijani Language at Beijing Foreign Studies University and a member of the 7th Council of the International Confucian Association, peonies in Heze are not only beautiful flowers but also important carriers of cultural exchange. “Peony culture is not only a cultural symbol of China, but also a window for the world to understand China. Peony culture should not only bloom in gardens, but also flourish in the exchange of world civilizations,“ he said. He specifically mentioned that in countries such as Germany, France, and Japan, scholars showcase the charm of peonies through literary and artistic works, which is a vivid example of mutual learning and drawing on each other among different civilizations. After enjoying the peonies in Heze, Professor Aliyev mentioned the national flower of Azerbaijan and suggested launching an “International Double Flower Dialogue“ cooperation project. Through the joint efforts of artists from the two countries, the two ancient flowers on the Silk Road can meet again in the digital age.