Precious Peony at Gardens by the Bay Flower Dome

This Thursday after work, I excitedly went to Gardens by the Bay flower dome to view the latest flower display, the Precious Peony. To my disappointment, due to the recent lockdown in China, the peonies are not able to be delivered on time for this Precious Peony display. Some peonies have already withered.  Nevertheless, I managed to see some beautiful and graceful fluffy peonies imported from other countries like Israel, Netherland-. Native to both China and Bhutan, they are also known as Mudan (牡丹) in Chinese and considered at the "king of flowers" in China. 

From the Straits Times. Click here.

SINGAPORE - Supply chain disruptions in China led to an unanticipated setback for Gardens by the Bay's latest floral display, Precious Peony, which opened on Saturday (April 9) at the Flower Dome.

The first shipment of peonies from China could not be delivered on time for the display's opening, Gardens by the Bay said in a statement.

"For the first week of the floral display, horticulturists are supplementing the show with peonies from Japan, Israel and the Netherlands, while awaiting the shipments from China to arrive," it added.

Precious Peony honours the journey of the flower from China to Nanyang, as South-east Asia was called when waves of Chinese left the country in search of a new life.

The display also shows how the portrayal of the peony has evolved over time, alongside the evolution of Chinese culture.

Mr Gary Chua, Gardens by the Bay's senior director of horticultural operations, said: "The peony is revered for its elegance and beauty.

"As part of our 10th anniversary, Gardens by the Bay is partnering with local museums for the first time to curate a brand new experience, where we present these precious blooms in the context of Singapore's rich culture."

For more information, click Gardens by the Bay here

Precious Peony pays tribute to the journey of this revered flower of the Chinese as it made its way from China to Nanyang in the hearts and minds of immigrants in search of a new home, and how its portrayal evolved as Chinese culture itself evolved. The recreation of a Chinese garden is a nod to the roots of the peony in Chinese history, while the facade of a Peranakan shophouse represents the evolution of the flower to become a well-loved motif of the Chinese Peranakan community in Singapore.  Amidst this landscape are more than 70 artefacts of Chinese and Peranakan culture on loan from local museums - a first in Gardens by the Bay’s 10-year history of floral displays. Highlights include an antique Peranakan blackwood bench inlaid with mother-of-pearl on loan from the Peranakan Museum (a division of Asian Civilisations Museum), a rare iron-splash glazed blackware vase contributed by The Society for Chinese Ceramics Studies, and intricate Peranakan hand-beaded slippers from The Intan.

Traditional shophouses commonly seen in Singapore at Chinatown.

Chinese Scholar's study room

From Gardens by the Bay The study was one of the most important rooms in the residence of a government official as it was a space that offered contemplation, tranquillity and peace of mind. Government officials in imperial China had to be well-rounded scholars, dedicating most of their time to the teachings of Confucius, honing their poetry, calligraphy, music and painting skills and the study of government, history, society and economics.

Most Chinese believed that a close study of nature offered a way of understanding the world, hence it was common for the periphery of the study to be landscaped with trees and flowering plants. Paintings of nature were also typically hung in a scholar’s study, which allowed for exploration of nature in the comfort of the study.

Lovely fluffy layered pink peonies 

 

From Gardens by the Bay- A pagoda is a tiered tower structure that symbolises sacred mountains. They were originally built to house relics or the remains of royalty and saints. The origin of a pagoda can be traced to the stupa, a dome-shaped monument, used to house Buddhist relics and saints. Overtime, the stupa evolved to take on various forms in different parts of Asia. In East Asia, the design of Chinese pagodas is inspired by the integration of Chinese towers and pavilions and has since become an important part of Chinese architecture. In Southeast Asia, numerous pagodas have been built as Chinese culture has spread through the ages.

Decorative tiles inspired from peony.

The traditional  shophouses that many Peranakans lived in were often decorated with vibrantly coloured glazed tiles. These were imported from as far away as Belgium, England and Japan and were seen as a status symbol during a time when imported goods were scarce. Wealthy clients thus embellished the facades of their houses, courtyards and walkways with decorative tiles, in place of traditional carvings or sculptures. The tiles often featured pastel colours and motifs including flowers (such as peonies!) in an Art Deco or Art Nouveau style of the era. They were mass produced by a technique known as dust pressing, in which powdered clay was pressed into a mould with great force.

Peng Jing