Lotus Festival
Lotus Festival is one of the most wonderful events in summer for visitors and local residents in Beijing. Several parks with blossoming lotus are open to tourists, among which Yuanmingyuan Park and Lianhuachi Park enjoy high reputation. A lot of people also go to Tsinghua University to appreciate the beautiful view of lotus flowers. If you are planning for a trip to Beijing in summer, it will be excellent experiences to appreciate the splendid lotus festival in your Beijing tours.
Apart from the splendid scenery, the attractiveness lies in the role of lotus in traditional Chinese culture. The plants are adaptive to different environment. The flowers stand for the purity and integrity, which are regarded as noble characteristics in Confucian cultural traditions.
Lotus Culture
Lotus flower is given a symbolic meaning in traditional Chinese culture. Together with peony and plum flowers, lotus is one of the most favourable flower species in China. They grow out of muddy swamps and rise above the water in elegant stance. These flowers are regarded as the symbol of purity, integrity, and tranquility by the gentlemen committed to Confucian doctrines. Literary people have praised the lotus in their poems or essays throughout the history. Thoughts on the Love of Lotus Flowers written by Zhou Dunyi in Song Dynasty is one of the most remarkable and highly-acclaimed ones. In the essay, he expresses his abiding fondness towards lotus flowers. The lotus flowers are described to be stainless and modest. Their subtle fragrance lasts long and spreads far away. They represent the spotless mind and integrate character. The beauty of lotus flowers can only be appreciated reverently from a certain distance, and cannot be profaned in familiar approach.
The lotus flowers are the subject of paintings, artworks, dances and architectural decorations as well. The following picture is one of the widely recognized lotus painting in Song Dynasty. The white background, the green leaves and the red flowers are in complete harmony.
Ideal Places to Appreciate Lotus Flowers
Three places are recommended to appreciate lotus flowers in Beijing. In July and August, Yuanmingyuan Park hosts its 17th Lotus Festival. Four hundred kinds of lotus flowers will be in blossom in the vast lakes of over 2000-mu, which is the largest area for lotus growing in Beijing. According to the management office, they have introduced in new types of yellow lotus flowers this year, which are different from traditional pink or white ones. Tourists can also appreciate the feasts of lotus flowers in Lianhuachi Park. The best way is to take a ride on one of the rental row boats and enjoy the gentle breeze mixed with scented air.
Besides, the well-known Tsinghua University is also a wonderful place to take in the splendid lotus scenery. The Lotus Pool By Moonlight is a famous essay written by revolutionary essayist Zhu Zijing in modern China. He describes the extraordinary beauty of the lotus pool which is situated in Tsinghua University. So it is fashionable to appreciate the lotus flowers in China’s top universities.
The adoration of lotus flowers has formulated unique lotus culture in Chinese traditions. Visitors are able to enjoy the beautiful scenery if they come to Beijing in summer. Lotus Festival in other cities are equally famous and attractive. For example, the lotus flowers in the West Lake in Hangzhou are highly acclaimed by tourists. It will be wonderful experiences to enjoy Lotus Festivals during your China tours.