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The Riot of Camellia at Yufengsi Lamasery
It is sight to be seen at Yufengsi Lamasery on the south side of the
Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain, some 13 km. from the county seat.
"The lamasery was built in the last year of the reign of the Qing
Emperor Kangxi and is one of the Scarlet Sect lamaseries of Lijiang.
"The riot of camellia" can be seen in the northwest compound, one of
the three in the temple, which is said to have been built in the
Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1465-1487), after the camellia tree
was planted. The tree is as old as ov er 500 years. Around the day when
spring begins, the flowers also begin to vie in beauty and around the
day when summer begins, they fade away. During some one hundred days
they come in bloom in about 20 batches, each numbering over one
thousand pieces, the whole totaling over twenty thousand pieces. In
most cases two share a stem. The biggest flower may have nine pistils
and eighteen Petals, with a diameter like that of a large tea tray. It
is therefore reputed as "the King of Camellias on the Globe".
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