Chinese coastal city showcases charm at Philadelphia Flower Show

An artist plays guzheng, a traditional Chinese musical instrument, at the Qingdao pavilion of the 196th Philadelphia Flower Show in Philadelphia, the United States, March 1, 2025. Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province, unveiled its charm at the 196th Philadelphia Flower Show on Saturday. (Xinhua)

NEW YORK, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province, unveiled its charm at the 196th Philadelphia Flower Show on Saturday, becoming the third consecutive Chinese city on display at the prestigious horticultural event.

On the theme of "Qingdao, a City Full of Charm and Vitality," The city's 70-square-meter exhibition garden blends Qingdao's coastal beauty with Chinese horticultural traditions.

Throughout the flower show, the Qingdao pavilion will host daily live demonstrations of its intangible cultural heritage, including puppet shows of Laixi, tea ceremonies of Laoshan, Peking opera, traditional incense making and folk paper-cutting art.

In addition to the exhibition garden, Qingdao also held an event on Saturday to promote its culture and tourism.

"By strengthening exchanges, deepening our cultural ties and expanding areas of mutual interest, we can build lasting bonds of friendship. China's door is always open, and we warmly welcome more people-to-people exchanges," said Chinese Consul General in New York Chen Li in an address.

Qingdao marks the presence of a Chinese city at the Philadelphia Flower Show for a third consecutive year following southwest China's Chengdu in 2023 and central China's Zhengzhou in 2024.

The Philadelphia Flower Show is one of the largest and most influential horticulture events in the United States. On the theme of "Gardens of Tomorrow," the 2025 edition kicked off on Saturday, focusing on imaginative design and limitless inspiration to showcase the future of horticulture.

A guest tries maneuvering a shadow puppet at a Qingdao cultural and tourism promotion event in Philadelphia, the United States, March 1, 2025. Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province, unveiled its charm at the 196th Philadelphia Flower Show on Saturday. (Xinhua)