During the Southern Song Dynasty in the reign of Shaoxing, there was a wealthy man named Jin Zhongkang in Quanzhou Prefecture. He was the second eldest in his family and was known as “Second Master Jin” by the villagers. Originally from Luoyang, Jin Zhongkang had moved to Fujian with his family over a decade ago to escape the chaos of war. As he grew older, he began to yearn more and more for his hometown. His estate was situated next to the Luoyang River, and he had a hundred flower garden opened on the riverbank. The garden was filled with a variety of flowers, but notably lacked peonies, which was Jin Zhongkang’s greatest regret. Peonies thrive in colder climates and are best suited for growth in the Central Plains region, earning Luoyang the title of “number one in the world for peonies.” In many people’s minds, peonies also symbolized Luoyang. Whenever he thought of this, Jin Zhongkang became melancholic and eventually fell ill and bedridden.

On Jin Zhongkang’s sixtieth birthday, his descendants all hoped to give him a special gift to lift his spirits. His favorite grandson knew that what Jin Zhongkang wanted most was to see peonies, so he went to the nearby Dehua in search of a renowned craftsman. After several failed attempts, the craftsman finally succeeded in creating a blooming porcelain peony. When the grandson presented the porcelain flower, it shocked the entire audience of relatives and friends, and Jin Zhongkang was overjoyed. He miraculously recovered from his illness and got out of bed.

From then on, the craft of making porcelain flowers was passed down through generations in Dehua, with skilled craftsmen continually improving and innovating. Porcelain flowers came to be seen as a symbol of wealth and family affection.