As the weather grows warmer inside the Beijing Art Museum located at Wanshou Temple, magnolia buds are about to bloom and spring-limited cultural and creative products are already gaining popularity. This has attracted many visitors to seek out spring scenery.
In the central courtyard, magnolia buds dot the branches, adding poetry and vitality to the ancient architecture. Visitors enter in small groups, heading for the magnolia trees to capture the spring light. "I often see posts online saying this is a top-tier spring photo spot in Beijing," said one visitor. "The flower shadows against the red walls are a perfect match."
Hailed as the "Little Forbidden City of Western Beijing," Wanshou Temple was built during the Ming Dynasty. It is a large-scale ancient architectural complex combining an imperial temple, gardens, and a traveling palace. For Wanshou Temple, the most beautiful seasons are spring and autumn. Particularly when the pure white magnolias are in full bloom, the scene of red walls reflecting the "jade snow" is an unmissable floral spectacle.
Xu Yanwei, director of the Exhibition and Cultural Creation Department, said that around March 20, the five magnolia trees within the temple will bloom. The temple also has crabapple trees, cherry blossom trees, and wisteria. Recently, public attention has been increasing significantly. On social media platforms, people are sharing photography tips and recommending various cultural and creative products.
Visitors continually stop to browse and select products. "We really like the museum's cultural products; they're beautiful and meaningful," a visitor surnamed Zhang told the Global Times. "This magnolia and cat refrigerator magnet is already getting popular on social media; I came specifically for it. In a moment, I'll take a photo with it under the flower tree to preserve this beautiful spring memory."
Several newly launched refrigerator magnets have become bestsellers. Two newly arrived designs are particularly dynamic: One is a three-dimensional potted plant, capturing the temple's main gate hall, magnolia flowers, and the lively cats of the museum; the other is a flowing sand refrigerator magnet, capturing a scene of a cat napping in front of the Heavenly King Hall.
As the museum's magnolia season begins, Beijing's museums are also welcoming their own blossom viewing seasons. It is expected that from late March to early April, the pear blossoms and lilacs at the Beijing Cultural Exchange Museum will bloom. From late March to mid-April, the magnolias, peach blossoms, and crabapple flowers at the Beijing Dajue Temple and Tuancheng Management Office will bloom as well.