Almost in his 90s, Taiwan veteran Kao Bing-han returned to his hometown in Heze City, Shandong Province, last year. Since 1991, he's dedicated himself to bringing back the ashes of deceased Chinese veterans to their birthplaces on the Chinese mainland. For his efforts, Kao was granted the 2012 \"Touching China\" award.
Upon his return, Kao was astounded by the development of Heze's peony industry. \"I'm overwhelmed by these peony products. There are flowers, seed oil and even cosmetics made from peonies. This is definitely a promising industry. It deserves to be promoted and flourish,\" said Kao.
With a history spanning over 1,500 years, the cultivation of peony flowers has long nurtured the peony culture and industry in the Heze area. As the time is ripe, the 2024 Heze Peony International Communication Forum (HPICF) is set to open on Friday.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
