Messengers of spring, embodiments of beauty, flowers are one of the most amazing wonders on this planet. As a new year starts and spring draws nearer day by day, we can look forward to another round of flowers blooming in the following months. We've highlighted 10 of the most well-known flowers in China that have special significance in Chinese culture.

花是春天的使者，是美的化身。隨著春寒漸漸退去，很快我們將迎來鮮花綻放的時節。以下是10種最能代表中國的花，看看你都認識嗎？

Plum blossom 梅花

In Mao Zedong's poem Ode to Plum Blossom, he described the flower like this: "Fair and beautiful. Not craving for spring for her own, only to tell the coming of the season. When all flowers bloom in full, she smiles among them. "

Mao used the plum blossom as a metaphor to praise great martyrs who sacrificed their lives for a better life for Chinese people.

In traditional Chinese culture, plum blossom stands for noble, unsullied and modest qualities. Along with orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum, they are praised as the "Four Men of Noble Character".

Plum blossom cake is one of the most famous snacks in Nanjing, Suzhou and Wuxi. Made in the shape of plum blossom, the cake is made of sticky rice, jam, nuts and red bean paste.

毛澤東的《詠梅》一詩中寫道：“風雨送春歸，飛雪迎春到。已是懸崖百丈冰，猶有花枝俏。俏也不爭春，只把春來報。待到山花爛漫時，她在叢中笑。”

在中國傳統文化中，梅花象征高潔和謙遜。梅花和蘭花、竹子、菊花并稱為“四君子”。

梅花糕是南京、蘇州、無錫一代最有名的小吃，用糯米、果醬、堅果、紅豆沙制成梅花形狀的糕點。

點擊這里聽《梅花雪》