The lotus (蓮 花 or荷 花 ) is a very important flower in China, being both ornamental and useful (roots and stems are eaten, seeds used as medicine).It represents summer and fruitfulness.
I love painting lotus. It was wonderful to sketch lotus in Beijing.
The philosopher Zhou Dunyi (1017–1073, Song Dynasty), wrote a famous essay “On the Love of the Lotus.”
In Buddhist imagery, it symbolises purity: a beautiful flower grows out of mud. The Buddha sits on a lotus flower. Om mane padme hum is a chant to the god of the jewel on the lotus. One of the sutras is called the Lotus Sutra. In Daoism, it is the emblem of He Xian Gu, one of the immortals.
Lakes of lotus are a major feature of Chinese gardens. Apparently this lotus pond is in one of the oldest gardens in China. Zhu Ziqing mused eloquently on a lotus pond. There are many beautiful lotus ponds in China e.g. Beihai Park, Beijing.
This video of Cuilou Village shows how the flowers and leaves stand up out of the water, and their movement with the wind. Lake in Jiangxi. Aerial video of Longhu Lake.
Photos of lotus at Daming Lake, Hangzhou, and other lakes. Evening lotus.
Famous Lotus painters include:
- Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) Ming/Qing
- Wu Changshou late Qing
- Qi Baishi late Qing/Republic
- Pan Tianshou late Qing/Republic
- Zhang Daqian late Qing/Republic
Online videos:
- Virginia Lloyd-Davies leaves
- Virginia Lloyd-Davies flowers
- Virginia Lloyd-Davies red flowers
- Nan Rae leaves
- Nan Rae outline flower
- Nan Rae coloured lotus
- Outline flowers, in Chinese
- Pink flowers, in Chinese
© Angela Reich 2023