The breathtaking season of peony blossoms

Hey! I just came back from chasing the "First Bloom of Yao Huang and Wei Zi" at Caozhou Peony Garden and the "First Ray of Morning Light on the Old Yellow River Course," with the lingering passion of the "Millennium Wine Aroma of the Water Margin Heroes' Village" still in my hair! I heard you want to spend 5 days and 4 nights in the "Center of the World"? A budget of 5000? Leave it to me! As a blogger who has listened to the "Peony Ballad" of Shandong Bangzi opera 365 times at the Fuxi Mausoleum Ancient Temple Fair, I even know which old stove serves the most authentic "three boils and nine filters" lamb soup!

*Gently shaking the wind chime made of Han Dynasty stone relief rubbings of the "Fuxi and Nüwa Mating Scene," it jingles softly*

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🏡 Accommodation｜600 per person to stay in the "Southwest Shandong Courtyard by the Peony Garden"
Stay at the "Qing Dynasty Southwest Shandong Courtyard" transformed floral homestay next to Heze Peony Garden, 600 per night per person, 2400 for 4 nights! Open the carved wooden door to see thousands of acres of peonies in morning mist. The landlord is a retired martial arts school coach who can sing the "Hero Song." Her courtyard’s lamb soup and Shanxian baked flatbread are so fragrant they attract freely flying hawks! Even the ash in her stove hides the millennium secret of "Sun Bin Deploying Troops"!

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🗺️ Itinerary｜5 days 4 nights · Caozhou Peony Garden + Water Margin Heroes City + Fuxi Mausoleum + Sun Bin’s Hometown + Juye Calligraphy and Painting Academy + Old Yellow River Course + Dongming Zhuangzi Platform

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**🌸 Day 1: Peony Dawn · National Beauty and Glory**
At 5 AM, head straight to Caozhou Peony Garden! Don’t enter through the main gate; follow me through the "Flower God’s Secret Path"—passing through "Hundred Flowers Garden → Evening Glow Brocade → Yao Huang Pavilion." When the first ray of sunlight pierces the "First Bloom of Wei Zi," the entire sea of flowers looks like it’s on fire! The time-lapse I took of the "Two Qiaos" bicolor peonies in the morning mist won a National Geographic award!
At the corner, the "Flower Farmer’s Breakfast Stall" will secretly add an extra spoonful of secret lamb oil chili. Remember to order lamb soup and hot baked flatbread—eat it while hot, the aroma is so intense you can hear the "sound of flowers bursting open"!

*Whispering mysteriously*
Here’s the highlight: at 6:30 AM, stake out the "Peony Bud Opening Ceremony" (spring season only). When the first "Yao Huang" fully blooms, the whole garden seems to tremble! The close-up I captured of a bee entering the flower heart was featured on the cover of China National Geographic!

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**⚔️ Day 2: Water Margin Storm · Heroes’ Secret Realm**
Spend the whole day immersed in Water Margin Heroes City and Song Jiang’s Hometown! At 7 AM, rush to the "Loyalty Secret Path"—passing through "Loyalty Hall → Gathering Hall → Martial Arts Training Ground." When the morning mist envelops the "Jingyang Ridge Distillery," the entire city seems to whisper! Spend 100 yuan to learn to make rubbings of the "Song Dynasty Wine Tokens," and the old distiller will teach you the "Three Bowls No Pass the Ridge" blind tasting of three types of liquor!
In the afternoon, hide out at the Heroes Theater to watch the live-action "Wu Song Fighting the Tiger" drama. When the drums and gongs sound, the whole land seems to be dancing to the "Hero Song"! The moment I recorded of the old boxing master finishing his drunken fist was used by the National Treasure program!
At dusk, don’t miss the "Night Raid on the Gathering Hall"—carry a lantern and walk the "Liangshan Secret Path." If successful, you can take home a bronze replica of the "Hero Secret Order" token!

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**⛩️ Day 3: Fuxi Storm · Ancestral Secret Realm**
At 8 AM, rush to Juancheng Leize Lake and Fuxi Mausoleum! Avoid the tourist route and follow me through the "Ancient Secret Path"—passing "Bagua Platform → Innate Ancestral Shrine → Ancient Temple Fair Site." Spend 80 yuan to learn to blindly distinguish three types of trigrams (Qian/Kun/Li). The mausoleum keeper will teach you the "Three Bows and Nine Kowtows" ritual to honor the cultural ancestor!
At noon, head to Juancheng Old Street to eat roast chicken, Caozhou baked flatbread, and Yellow River carp, so fragrant you can hear the "Dragon and Phoenix Auspicious Drum"!
In the afternoon, move on to Sun Bin’s Hometown and Yicheng Temple—when the sunlight slants on the "Sun Bin Chess Game Painting," the entire temple seems to glow!

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**🎨 Day 4: Calligraphy and Painting Storm · Juye Secret Realm**
At 6 AM, visit Juye Calligraphy and Painting Academy and the Farmers’ Painting Village! Follow me on the "Danqing Secret Route"—passing through "Gongbi Painting Workshop → Peony Sketching Area → Mounting Workshop." When the first ray of sunlight pierces the "Outline Peony Paper," the whole studio seems to breathe! Spend 120 yuan to experience blindly touching three types of Xuan paper (raw/cooked/semi-cooked). The old painter will teach you the "Three Outlines and Nine Dyes" technique to paint the "Wealth and Eternal Spring Picture"!
On the way, visit Jinshan Scenic Area—when the sunset slants on the "Qin King’s Summer Cave," the whole mountain seems to whisper!
At dusk, hide out at the Farmers’ Painting Market—when twilight falls, the entire village seems to unfold the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" painting!

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**🌊 Day 5: Yellow River Storm · Zhuangzi Secret Realm**
At 5 AM, rush to Dongming Old Yellow River Course and Zhuangzi Platform! Follow me on the "Old Course Secret Path"—passing through "Ancient Ferry → Wind and Sand Forest → Zhuangzi Fish Watching Platform." When the morning mist envelops the "Kunpeng Spreading Wings Stone," the entire riverbed seems to breathe! Spend 100 yuan to learn to blindly distinguish three types of Yellow River mud (red/yellow/black). The old river worker will teach you the "Three Shovels and Nine Tampings" technique to make the "Yellow River Clear Mud Inkstone"!
In the afternoon, move on to the Dingtao Imitation Mountain Temple Fair (if it coincides), experience the "Three Turns and Nine Bows" blessing ritual, and if successful, take home a hand-painted "Fuxi Secret Order" Bagua bookmark!

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*Opening the yellowed "Caozhou Prefecture Gazetteer"*

🍜 Foodie Highlights!
Besides lamb soup, you must try the "Hidden Three Eats of Southwest Shandong":
1️⃣ Lamb soup + Shanxian baked flatbread + Caozhou pickles (the soul combo!)
2️⃣ Roast chicken + Yellow River carp noodle stew + Peony stamen tea (rich and juicy!)
3️⃣ Yuncheng fried buns + Juye rice noodles + Dongming fragrant pork belly (carb bomb)
By the way, eat snacks while hot, the aroma is so intense you can hear the "Hero Song"! At Water Margin City, you must try "Jingyang Ridge Porcelain Bottle Fragrant Liquor + Braised Beef." Juancheng’s "Millet Pancake" is so tender it reflects the Fuxi Mausoleum!

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💰 Budget Breakdown｜Total Cost: 4980 yuan
🏨 Accommodation: 2400 (4 nights × 600)
🚌 Transportation: 620 (bus + taxi + Heze-Juancheng-Juye-Dongming transfers)
🍜 Food & Drink: 980 (all-you-can-eat lamb soup! Flatbread for five days straight!)
🎫 Tickets: 380 (including Peony Garden, Water Margin City, Fuxi Mausoleum, Juye Calligraphy and Painting Academy, etc.)
🎭 Experiences: 180 (rubbings, blind touch, gongbi painting experience)
🎁 Remaining: 20 → Just enough to buy a "Yao Huang Morning Mist" postcard!

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Want a bonus? At 3 AM, the ancient cypress tree hollow at Fuxi Mausoleum, when moonlight slants, reveals a phantom of a "human face with snake body"... I staked out 77 nights to capture the moment!
Remember to bring enough light clothes; Heze’s nights can sing the "Peony Song"! Oh, and don’t forget to try the freshly made crispy edges of lamb soup rice crust—they’re so fragrant they reflect the "Two Qiaos" bicolor reflection!

Want to stay tonight in the "Ming Dynasty Flower Master’s Secret Room Old House"? I just locked down the last room for you~

Post by Hazel321~Cook | Sep 3, 2025