The grafting technique of Fahua peony The Fahua area emerged during the Kaibao period of the Northern Song Dynasty, and Li Jing was within its territory. In 970 AD, the Fahua Zen Temple was built in the north of Jing, and it was very popular and attracted many merchants. In the Ming Dynasty, the area developed into a town and was named after the temple. Fahua Town is not far from Shanghai County (within the ring road of Zhonghua Road and Renmin Road today), and has convenient transportation, so merchants gathered and the market was prosperous. It entered its heyday during the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1820). Fahua peony originated from Luoyang peony. This is clearly recorded in historical documents: In the early years of the Southern Song Dynasty, Luoyang flower workers took refuge in the south and came to the Fahua area, and brought Luoyang peony seeds here for cultivation. However, due to the overdeveloped groundwater system in the Jiangnan region, the root system of Luoyang peony, which prefers dryness, could not adapt to the water and soil in the south of the Yangtze River, and a large number of peony roots rotted during cultivation due to excessive water sources. Luoyang flower workers took local conditions into consideration. After many grafting practices, they finally found a successful way to cultivate. They pioneered the grafting of Yangzhou peony roots that adapt to the soil and water of the south of the Yangtze River with Luoyang peonies, and successfully cultivated a peony boutique that is mainly potted. Because it grows in the area where the Fahua Temple is located, it is named Fahua Peony. In the Ming Dynasty, the Fahua Temple area was prosperous in commerce. The town was built because of the temple and the town was named after the temple. In the Qing Dynasty, Fahua Town became a gathering place for gentry and wealthy businessmen, with private gardens everywhere and a large number of Fahua peonies planted. A flower worker named Guo from the famous peony plantation, Xixi Garden, created the "peony inoculation method". "Take a single-petal peony root and stick it to a tender bud in August or September. Unlike Luoyang, it is suitable for planting in sandy soil. It will not flourish if moved to other places. Even the Yiyuan in the county (referring to the Shanghai County area of Songjiang Prefecture) must plant it in Fahua soil. When it first blooms, it will not be as lush and beautiful as before. Therefore, Fahua is called 'Little Luoyang'." After a long period of grafting and improvement, the Fahua peony has become a native of Fahua, fully adapted to the soil and water of Fahua Town in the south of the Yangtze River, and has become an important symbol of Fahua Town. Compared with the Luoyang peony, the Fahua peony has become the symbol of Fahua Town. Wang Tao's "Yingye Magazine" said: "The Fahua peony is the best in four counties." After several wars, the Fahua Temple and many gardens in Fahua Town where peonies were planted were destroyed. In 1958, Lijing was filled to form Fahua Town Road, and the Fahua peony lost its living space in the area. However, in order to preserve this famous peony species with a long history, the Fahua peony was moved to Zhongshan Park, and the Zhongshan Park Peony Garden was rebuilt. The grafting technology of the Fahua peony was also passed on to Zhongshan Park, and this cultivation technology has been preserved to this day through the process of master-apprentice inheritance from the older generation of gardeners to the new generation of gardeners. The Peony Garden in Zhongshan Park is the only place where the Fahua peony is grown today. The number of Fahua peonies is very small, and the cultivation technique is cumbersome and complicated, which is not suitable for modern breeding and cultivation methods, making it difficult to pass on.