Published : 2025-01-17
During the Chinese New Year, it is a traditional custom for people in Guangdong Province to visit flower markets and buy fresh flowers, hoping for a prosperous new year.
In the Greater Bay Area, there is a unique national folk activity - "Water Flower Market", which has a history of several hundred years.
Among them, the water flower markets in Guangzhou and Foshan are the largest in scale. Let check them out!
Water flower market has existed since the ancient China
There is a saying in Guangzhou: "It's not New Year until you have visited a flower street."
Visiting flower Streets, or flower markets, on Chinese New Year's eve is a traditional Spring Festival custom in Guangdong, which began to develop as early as the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. The flower markets in Guangzhou are the most prosperous, with a history of hundreds of years.
It is believed that during the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty, from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival, flower farmers would row boats along the Pearl River to bring New Year flowers and set up stalls along the street from all the way to the area near today's Haizhu Square.
The earliest flower market was held on water.
In a park in Guangzhou's Haizhu District, there is an ancient archway named "Flower Island Ancient Ferry." If you travelled back in time and come here at dawn in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, you would smell the fragrance of flowers at the pier, which is the origin of Guangzhou's Spring Festival Flower Market.
Guangzhou Water Flower Market at Yongqing Fang
The water flower market at Xiguan in Liwan is the most famous one in Guangzhou.
Last year, in the water area near Yongqing Fang (永慶坊), people dressed in Hanfu selling flowers on the flower boats is still vivid in memory.
The 2025 Guangzhou Water Flower Market involved water and land.
Besides water market, there is also land market as well, including unique Lingnan themed Spring Flower Market, flower art installations paired with flower-themed parades, and a series of other activities. The onshore flower market would be open from January 26 to 28.
The flower boats will also parade on water, shuttling between Yongqing Fang and the banks of Liwan Lake.
In the evening, the lights of Yongqing Fang reflected on the water, and the flower boats at the pier shine, which are very romantic.
In addition to the water flower market, Yongqingfang also has a large land flower market, and a stage will be built next to the wharf for performances and a New Year's market, making the water flower market an important cultural folk activity during the Spring Festival.
In 2025, Liwan Lake Park will have a sea of peach blossom and a water stage called "Peach Blossom Island". There will be a path leading to the island via the Peach Blossom Bridge, and also there will be a 6-metre-high "King of Peach Tree" as well, which are the highlight of the water market.
Foshan Water Flower Market frequently featured on China Central Television
Another grand water flower market full of Lingnan characteristics is the one in Lishui Town of Foshan. The 2025 event is named "Lingnan New Year Water Flower Market", and is held from January 17 to January 26 in the Dream Water Town scenic area of Lishui Town.
Compared to Guangzhou, Foshan's water flower market has only a few years of history but is widely known.
It has been featured twice on China Central Television, showcasing the opening ceremony of the Lishui Town Water Flower Market.
At night, the flower boats are neatly arranged along the riverbank, swaying gently on the water.
This year, there are a lot of events in the water market, including flower markets, lantern displays, and floral boat performances, along with New Year's commodity markets.
There is a "Floating Colour on Water" event which is a must-see one. There are also over 30 groups of river flower lanterns and installations, bringing out the the image of the Year of the Snake with Lishui's "Three Flowers and One Fish" cultural tourism elements.
During the day, there will be fish lanterns, which are Intangible Cultural Heritage, God of Wealth blessings, and talent shows; at night, there will be an immersive light and shadow night tour "Lishui Flower Moon Night".
If you are visiting Foshan before the New Year, make sure you don't miss it!
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