The scientific name of the lotus plant (蓮, 荷花) native to India and South East Asia is Nelumbo nucifera.
The roots of lotus are planted in the soil of a pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface or are held well above it. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. The plant normally grows up to a height of about 150 cm or higher and a horizontal spread of up to 3 meters. The leaves may be as large as 60 cm in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 20 cm in diameter.
Anyone who has ever observed a lotus flower emerging from a murky pond can appreciate the beauty of this exquisite plant.
The flower always looks so clean and pure against the background of a murky pond.
The lotus flower has come to be associated with purity, spiritual awakening and faithfulness in Buddhism and Hinduism.
In the night-time the lotus flowers close and sink into the water, then early in the morning the flowers slowly emerge from the water and bloom again. This portrays ‘rebirth’. The process repeats over a three-day period until mid-afternoon of the third day.
The lotus flower
The leaves of the lotus plant
A variety possesses white flowers.
Chinese Literature Related to the Lotus Flowers
Zhou Dunyi (周敦頤) (1017 – 1073) of the Sung Dynasty wrote the essay Ài Lián Shuō (愛蓮說) (Ode to the Lotus)
水陸草木之花，可愛者甚蕃。晉陶淵明獨愛菊；自李唐來，世人皆愛牡丹；予獨愛蓮之出淤泥而不染，濯清漣而不妖，中通外直，不蔓不枝，香遠益清，亭亭凈植，可遠觀而不可褻玩焉。
予謂菊，花之隱逸者也；牡丹，花之富貴者也；蓮，花之君子者也。噫！菊之愛，陶后鮮有聞；蓮之愛，同予者何人？牡丹之愛，宜乎眾矣！
All flowers and plants, both aquatic and land
Have attracted many admirers.
Tao Yuan Ming (陶淵明) loved the Chrysanthemums exclusively;
Since the Tang Dynasty, the multitude love peonies;
And yet I have a voracious desire only for the lotus,
Out of the turbid waters, it stands pure and unsullied,
It transcends the crystal waters to show purity,
Unclogged on the inside as it is upright on the outside
Devoid of creepers and branches
Dispersing its fragrance far and near
Standing elegant and crisp
Only to be admired from afar,
And not to be treated with irrelevance and contempt.
I think
Truthfully,
The chrysanthemum embodies seclusion and solitude
The peony embodies prosperity and eminence,
The lotus conveys the virtues of a gentleman.
Regrettably,
Except for Tao (Yuan Ming), the love for chrysanthemum is rare.
My fervour for the Lotus is not shared.
Only the peony is forever popular, amongst the philistines.
(Translated by Dorothy Lee 何慧玲)
Written by Patrick Siu in clerical script dated 2014
Lotus Flower Paintings Throughout the Century
A Cantonese Song related to the Lotus Flower
‘Fragrant Water Lily’ (荷花香) in the movie “Mysterious Murder” 《紅菱血》(1951) was composed by Wong Yuet Sang (王粵生) with lyrics written by Tong Tik Sang (唐滌生) for Fong Yim Fun (芳艷芬).
荷花香 新月上
荷花愛著素衣裳
花香引得情蝶浪
怎禁她芬芳吐艷滿銀塘
心如明月呀 留天上
夜夜塘邊照檀郎
情味是甜還是苦
郎情可似柳絲長
輕輕偎向檀郎問
你可知情到深時怕斷腸
花香那得千日艷
榴花結子便枯黃
人對花兒輕薄後
莫道‧花殘仍可癡嚐
有情忍看花零落
花泣飄零淚滿塘
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPJMB1-msLw (粵曲 荷花香) (not sung by Fong Yim Fun, but highly recommended)
Acknowledgements :
I would like to thank Mr Ip Chit Hoo (葉哲豪老師), my painting teacher, for giving me the beautiful lotus and mandarin ducks painting in 1983 as my wedding gift.
I would also like to thank Mr Sze Chiu Leung (梁仕釗老師), master of Chinese painting and calligraphy, for allowing the use of his marvellous work to demonstrate a good painting full of spirit and elegance.
Last, but not least, I would like to thank Mrs Dorothy Lee (何慧玲女士) sincerely for her wonderful English translation of the poem.
Bibliography :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbo_nucifera
http://www.epochtimes.com/b5/tag/%E5%BC%B5%E5%A4%A7%E5%8D%83.html
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_49f5af5901012p9p.html (translation of Ode to the Lotus)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGmXX-WVA1A
http://www.lingnanart.com/Chao/L-master-chao.htm
http://wangchangzhengb.blog.163.com/
http://deng-fen.com/Deng_Fen/http://www.szechiuleung.com/about.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPJMB1-msLw (粵曲 荷花香) (not sung by Fong Yim Fun, but highly recommended)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjW_lto-_Ew (sung by Fong Yim Fun)
Patrick Siu Chinese Calligraphy & Landscape Painting 蕭燿漢談書畫 