牡丹花还是梅花？为了选定两者之一为中国「国花」，学者专家与官员已经争论超过二十年的时间。现今一些学者已经拿出一个独特的中国特色方案─「一国两花」，以牡丹和梅花来分别代表中华民族的不同特色。 5 ], P8 j: x" s; } 5 x/ x" Y, p8 b% u- _* i, ~据英国《泰晤士报》报导，北京林业大学教授陈俊愉已经邀集一○二名中科院、社科院两院院士的签名，联名建议以牡丹花、梅花的「一国两花」模式选择国花。 $ w/ a0 ?; U2 J( K0 a" [+ y2 F1 I. F- F
自一九八二年以来，选择国花的问题就在各界争论不休，一些地方基于利益考量，亟力争取以自己的地方花卉为国花，让此一争论更形恶化。至于政府官员，或因不想得罪一方或双方，至今仍不愿采取立场。 " b2 n1 P7 m, g8 c0 v$ ~ A, J) f6 f( c8 G
陈俊愉的「一国两花」设想得到越来越多的支持。「一国两花」设想出于「一国两制」，现年九十岁的陈俊愉表示，他希望能在二○○八年北京奥运前为国花问题定案。. t" w, O; S, \
3 Q0 p p6 f# ?4 z1 {他在受访时表示：「我不认为这事和政治或地方利益有关，一些人主张他们自己地区的花卉是自然的，我们国家有一种把什么事都和政治扯到一起的习惯，但其实这只是花的问题而已。」. I% `, u9 R# c" t
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牡丹花的支持者认为，自唐宋以来，牡丹就有「国色天香」之称，被喻为「花王」，唐、清两朝曾将牡丹定为国花。据指出，在争论中，多数人主张将牡丹定为国花。 ) c0 \ V$ ]5 L* a, T( N/ i0 Z+ I 6 s: {; ~) D: b一九八二年即主张将梅花定为国花的陈俊愉表示，在他主持「南梅北移」研究专案的推动下，现在绝大多数省分都有盛开的梅花了，因此梅花已经具备了国花的条件。/ `; Q9 [& b# W4 T5 |9 M; }" f
- w5 R' n! `5 C9 E2 p至于陈俊愉将国花方案定为「一国两花」的原因，他表示，梅花在北方的根基不如牡丹，「一国两花」就能照顾到南北方的平衡。他同时表示，梅花被国民党主政的国民政府定为国花，海峡两岸对国花的认同，将有助于两岸的统一。 % G1 y' R6 u. t6 O+ S $ k) n9 R, Y3 U# f1 P5 c但正因为台湾已经将梅花定为「国花」，反成大陆梅花与牡丹竞逐国花地位的不利因素。报导指出，台湾不但将梅花画在「国营」航空的飞机上，还发行了邮票，关于定梅花为国花一事，大陆一些政治人物视为烫手山芋。 8 c5 J( T/ }+ e" N" h0 |, _" M7 w0 X6 |% x5 u$ V- [
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Can’t decide on a favourite flower? Then pick them both % }: t7 M2 e! M ! q/ P7 g+ O' G, S6 ~; M9 RThe peony or the plum blossom? For years Chinese academics and politicians have been divided over which should be the country’s national flower. Now support seems to be growing for a beautifully Chinese solution: “one country, two flowers”. That would allow both to be used to portray different national traits. 5 @ n' |* q& \5 L" S- z0 w E" T S' F) i+ @- d, e bChen Junyu, a professor of Beijing Forestry University, has gathered 102 signatures from members of the academies of sciences and social sciences in support of his campaign for the two flowers solution. 3 Y( a' b' ^% s! g* u8 ` " o6 g5 Q. Q+ f; A ~- W$ i/ I' BDebate has dragged on since 1982. Local vested interests eager to see their regional bloom chosen to represent the nation are also prolonging the discussion. Government officials are reluctant to take a stand for fear of offending someone — or everyone. % t- o7 b5 @$ e; V9 ], m+ b# W' E7 @0 g' o! X6 R* A- q' H4 I# h
Professor Chen is winning increasing support for his idea, based on the “one country, two systems” deal under which Britain handed Hong Kong back to China a decade ago. The 90-year-old academic is hoping for a decision before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 2 Y8 F' n( M8 M: v ' c9 e' ]; B4 i# |( fHe told The Times: “I don’t think this has anything to do with politics or regional interests. There are some people who care about this and promote the flowers from their own areas and that’s because our country has a habit of linking everything to politics. But this is just a flower.” 4 |9 Q- p3 ?2 P# s, O
& K" z r0 Q: a5 r+ M! P0 n RThe luxuriant ruffled petals of the peony were prized by many emperors. At one time the flower was restricted to imperial use and the Dowager Empress Ci Xi named the bloom as China’s national flower in the late 19th century. The peony was the first choice of most Chinese who voted in the debate. 8 z5 n9 k. E9 P; X3 L4 k; O) Z ) n* @: a& U. ~" k- C, G) @The plum blossom, tiny pale pink buds blossoming at the start of spring, is associated in China with resilience of spirit. . s% D' ]- x0 L" t! i5 O1 W" B6 z8 z" ^
Some politicians, however, regard it as a hot potato. It was the symbol of the nationalist Government that ruled until defeat by the Communists in 1949 when it fled to Taiwan. There it is, in effect, the national flower, appearing on everything from aircraft to stamps.
