Int'l Plum Blossom Festival draws crowds in Nanjing

Plum blossom is the name of the game for a major activity happening in Nanjing, the capital of east China's Jiangsu province. The International Plum Blossom Festival has opened there and is drawing crowds from far and wide.

The festival got off to a good start on Monday morning in the suburbs of Nanjing.

The International Plum Blossom Festival has opened in Nanjing and is drawing  crowds from far and wide.

A local art troupe took to the stage alongside the well-known folk band and singer Han Hong, to open the month-long festival.

The Nanjing plum blossom valley spreads across an area of 250 acres. The valley is now filled with 35-thousand plum blossom plants from 120 varieties. Now, ten percent of them are in bloom.

The plum blossom is the city flower of Nanjing. There, the flower begins to bloom in February. Plum blossom is one of the three friends of Chinese literati, with the other two being pine tree and bamboo. It's respected because the flower is not daunted by chilly weather.

The festival includes a series of activities related to the culture of the plum blossom. After strolling the grounds to appreciate the flowers, visitors are welcome to take a rest at this food court where Nanjing has gathered all sorts of delicacies and treats.