On Ouyang Xiu's Scientific Achievements in His Gardening Practice and Scholarly Works

Ouyang Xiu(1007—1072) was not only an outstanding writer and historian in the Northern Song Dynasty,but also a pre-eminent horticulturist in ancient China.Many of his essays on gardening in the Song Dynasty can be found in Complete Works of Ouyang Xiu,which prove that he loved gardening and was a pre-eminent scholar who devoted himself to introduced varieties of plants,cultivation of plants,investigation of gardening and designs of gardening practice,and that he made great scientific achievements in quite different fields.A Record of Peony in Luoyang,his representative work,was a masterpiece on flowers and plants in ancient times,and is also the only monograph on peony in China and in the world today.Many places of interest,such as Zuiweng(drinker's) Pavilion,Fengle Pavilion,Pingshan Hall,and Canglang Pavilion,all of which are closely related with Ouyang Xiu and his literary works,are the well-known scenic spots and historical relics protected by the state law and frequently visited by tourists.Ouyang Xiu,as a horticulturist of the Song Dynasty,will be forever remembered and revered by posterity.