Painting flowers has a long and rich tradition in China, having evolved out of the classic bird-and-flower style to become its own distinct genre of painting. Tracing its history and evolution through centuries of artistic endeavor this amazingly researched book leaves no stone unturned. With chapters following the sequence of the four seasons, it brings to life the historical relevance of the most popular flowers by season as well as the most famous painters and their representative works, providing context and perspective on the development of this unique style. The book concludes with 80 exquisite flower paintings, masterworks of time and place selected as among the most beautiful and culturally important paintings of ancient China.