The higher the elevation, the later the flowers bloom, and spring flowering species are also followed by summer flowering ones. On the 18th day of the 9th lunar month, in a cold dark forest where all the spring birds had fallen silent, Mei Yao-chen (1002-1060) of the Northern Song dynasty was delighted to chance upon rhododendron flowers with a color more splendid than the red of a dawn sky.
由春鵑至夏鵑，九月十八日，春鳥各噤口，宋朝梅堯臣還在寒冷的幽木林裡，與花色豔過曙霞的杜鵑花喜相逢。