“一朵花能承载多少种可能？”4月10日，这个问题在2025 菏泽牡丹国际传播论坛上得到了最生动的解答。来自世界多个国家的文化学者、跨国企业代表和青年创业者，因这朵1500岁的东方之花齐聚一堂。当国际友人们体验巨幅工笔牡丹画创作，当保加利亚索非亚海外牡丹园里花朵在线绽放，当海外“Z世代”网络达人、中医药专家围绕“多元推动牡丹文化走向世界”展开讨论时——菏泽牡丹已悄然蜕变为跨越国界的文化使者与经济媒介。
学者：牡丹盛开在世界文明交流中
在北京外国语大学亚洲学院阿塞拜疆语教研室主任、国际儒联第七届理事会理事阿格申·阿利耶夫眼中，菏泽的牡丹不仅有花卉之美，更是文化交流的重要载体。“牡丹文化不仅是中国的文化符号，它也是世界了解中国的一个窗口。牡丹文化不仅要绽放在园林中，更加要盛开在世界文明交流中。”他特别提到，在德国、法国、日本等国，学者们通过文学与艺术作品展现牡丹的魅力，这正是不同文明间相互学习和借鉴的生动实例。在欣赏完菏泽牡丹之后，阿利耶夫教授提到了阿塞拜疆的国花，建议开展“双花对话”国际合作项目，通过两国艺术家的共同努力，让丝绸之路上这两种古老的花卉在数字时代重新相遇。
他期待未来能看到牡丹文化术语和黄河文化术语的各个语种翻译版本，包括他的母语阿塞拜疆语版本。阿利耶夫教授特别强调：“我们不仅要重视大语种的翻译，更要关注小语种的传播工作，因为‘一带一路’共建国家的大部分语言都属于小语种范畴。”
记者：经济价值与文化价值的双重绽放
作为中国外文局欧非传播中心的外籍记者，天赐对菏泽牡丹的文化与经济价值有深刻认识。“比如在法国或罗得岛，如果你的花园里种有一株来自菏泽的牡丹，这种直接的文化纽带会让你对菏泽产生特别的情感连接。”这不仅仅是因为拥有一株美丽的花朵，更是因为它承载着特定的历史和文化背景。通过这种方式，人们能够建立起跨越地理界限的文化认同，也促进了不同地区之间的相互理解和尊重。除此之外，他认为，牡丹更是推动地方经济发展的重要资源。天赐分享了自己尝试牡丹籽油的经历：“这是我第一次直接食用未经加工的牡丹籽油，感觉非常好。”他指出，除了健康产品之外，牡丹相关产业为当地带来了显著的经济效益，包括提供就业机会和增加居民收入。
对于如何将牡丹的故事讲述给不同地区的受众，天赐有着独到的见解：向非洲受众介绍牡丹时，会强调它在促进经济增长、对抗粮食不安全、改善生活条件方面的作用；而面对欧洲等地区，则可以从艺术和文化交流的角度入手，展现牡丹在全球化背景下的独特魅力和桥梁作用。
摄影师：“牡丹笑脸”带来全球对话
作为国际摄影艺术联合会中国副代表，鲁明深知影像在推动中国牡丹文化“走出去”过程中所发挥的重要作用。“影像作为一种直观的视觉语言，能够跨越语言障碍，生动传递牡丹的文化内涵与美学价值。”鲁明介绍道，“牡丹笑脸”国际影像工程，由中国摄影师高均海团队历时8年，在60多个国家拍摄了2万余张不同民族、国籍、职业的人与牡丹的合影，成功地将牡丹的美好寓意传播到世界各地。特别值得一提的是，2018年法国巴黎牡丹节上，圣雷米·奥诺雷市市长佩戴国旗绶带与女儿拍摄的“牡丹笑脸”，成为中法文化交流的生动注脚。
为了进一步搭建国际摄影和文化交流的桥梁，国际摄影艺术联合会中国办事处采取了一系列措施。最近，他们邀请了来自西班牙、保加利亚、法国和智利的四位国际摄影大师来菏泽参加牡丹国际传播论坛，并拍摄牡丹及与牡丹相关的活动。特别是保加利亚普洛夫迪夫市的国际摄影大师带来的作品及其携带的感谢信，不仅表达了继续与菏泽深化合作的愿望，也成为两市、两国友好合作与文化交流的真实见证。此外，这次前来的法国摄影师计划将此次拍摄的作品带回法国，在雷恩中国花园中举办一次以牡丹为主题的摄影展，进一步促进中法之间的文化艺术交流。
“我们谈论的从来不只是花卉，而是文明对话的无限可能。”这场以花为媒的全球聚会，正在重新定义“牡丹”的当代价值。这恰似当代菏泽的隐喻——当古老的根系拥抱世界的养分，这朵花绽放的已不仅是花瓣，更是一个文化自信与开放合作的新纪元。
"How many possibilities can a single flower hold?" On April 10, this question found its most vivid answer at the 2025 Heze Peony International Communication Forum. Cultural scholars, multinational corporate representatives, and young entrepreneurs from around the world gathered due to this 1,500-year-old Eastern bloom. As international guests immersed themselves in creating large-scale meticulous brushwork peony paintings, as flowers in Sofia’s South Park in Bulgaria bloomed virtually, and as Gen Z influencers and traditional Chinese medicine experts debated "multifaceted strategies to globalize peony culture"—Heze’s peony quietly transformed into a cross-cultural ambassador and economic catalyst.
Scholar: Peonies Bloom in Global Civilizational Exchange
In the eyes of Agshin Aliyev, the director of the Department of Azerbaijani Language at Beijing Foreign Studies University and a member of the 7th Council of the International Confucian Association, peonies in Heze are not only beautiful flowers but also important carriers of cultural exchange. "Peony culture is not only a cultural symbol of China, but also a window for the world to understand China. Peony culture should not only bloom in gardens, but also flourish in the exchange of world civilizations," he said. He specifically mentioned that in countries such as Germany, France, and Japan, scholars showcase the charm of peonies through literary and artistic works, which is a vivid example of mutual learning and drawing on each other among different civilizations. After enjoying the peonies in Heze, Professor Aliyev mentioned the national flower of Azerbaijan and suggested launching an "International Double Flower Dialogue" cooperation project. Through the joint efforts of artists from the two countries, the two ancient flowers on the Silk Road can meet again in the digital age.
He looks forward to seeing translations of peony culture terms and Yellow River culture terms in various languages in the future, including versions in his native Azerbaijani. Professor Aliyev emphasized, "We need to not only focus on the translation of major languages, but also pay attention to the dissemination of minority languages, because most of the languages along the ‘Belt and Road' are in the category of minority languages."
Journalist: Dual Bloom of Economic and Cultural Value
As a foreign journalist at Foreign correspondent at CICG Europe-Africa, Tian Ci has gained profound insights into the cultural and economic value of Heze peonies. "For instance, in places like France or Rhodes, having a Heze peony in your garden creates a direct cultural bond that fosters a special emotional connection to this Chinese city," he explained. This significance extends beyond merely owning a beautiful flower, as it carries specific historical and cultural connotations. Such connections help establish cultural recognition transcending geographical boundaries while promoting mutual understanding and respect between regions. Beyond cultural dimensions, Tian Ci emphasized peonies' role in driving local economic development. Sharing his personal experience with peony-derived products, he noted: "It was my first time tasting unprocessed peony seed oil, and I found it remarkably pleasant." He highlighted that beyond health products, the peony industry has generated substantial economic benefits for the region, including job creation and increased household incomes.
Regarding tailoring peony narratives for different audiences, Tian Ci proposed differentiated approaches: When introducing peonies to African audiences, the emphasis should be on their role in boosting economic growth, combating food insecurity, and improving living conditions. For European audiences, the narrative could shift towards artistic and cultural exchange perspectives, showcasing peonies' unique charm as cultural ambassadors in globalization. This strategic storytelling framework aims to make the "flower of prosperity" resonate across diverse cultural contexts while serving as a bridge for international dialogue.
Photographer: "Peony Smiles" Spark Global Dialogue
As the Permanent Deputy Representative of China to FIAP, Lu Ming is well aware of the significant role that images play in promoting Chinese peony culture to the world. "Images, as an intuitive visual language, can transcend language barriers and vividly convey the cultural connotations and aesthetic value of peonies," Lu Ming explained. For instance, the "Peony Smile" International Imaging Project, undertaken by Chinese photographer Gao Junhai and his team over eight years, captured more than 20,000 group photos of people from different ethnicities, nationalities, and professions with peonies in over 60 countries, successfully spreading the positive symbolism of peonies worldwide. Notably, at the 2018 Peony Festival in Paris, France, the mayor of St-Honoré, wearing a national flag sash and accompanied by his daughter, posed for a "Peony Smile" photo, which became a vivid testament to Sino-French cultural exchange.
To further build bridges for international photography and cultural exchange, the China Office of FIAP has taken a series of measures. Recently, they invited four international photography masters from Spain, Bulgaria, France, and Chile to Heze to attend the Peony International Dissemination Forum and photograph peonies and related activities. Particularly noteworthy was the work and letter of thanks brought by the international photography master from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which not only expressed the desire to deepen cooperation with Heze but also served as a genuine testament to the friendly cooperation and cultural exchange between the two cities and countries. Additionally, the French photographer who attended plans to take the photos taken during this visit back to France to hold a peony-themed photography exhibition in the Chinese Garden in Rennes, further promoting Sino-French cultural and artistic exchanges.
"We are never merely discussing a flower, but the boundless potential of civilizational dialogue." This global gathering, bridged by petals, is redefining the peony's contemporary value. It mirrors Heze's modern narrative: as ancient roots embrace the world's nourishment, this blossom unfurls not just petals, but an era of cultural confidence and open collaboration.
无限工作室&大众网菏泽站联合出品
策划：魏鹏 辛然
文案、翻译：武玮佳 杨晓
采访、字幕：杨晓
配音：武玮佳
拍摄：张勇
剪辑：焦成龙
统筹：刘进 武玮佳 曲欣萍