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| A copycat artist's rendering of an original Vietnamese work |
The people of Vietnam regard the lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) as one of the four graceful flowers and plants, along with the pine, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Known as the ‘flower of the dawn’, the lotus is found throughout the country at lakes and ponds. To the Vietnamese, the lotus is the symbol of purity, commitment and optimism for the future. The elegance of the lotus is often cited in folk songs and poems.
Most Vietnamese observe some form of Buddhism, and in Buddhist symbolism the lotus represents purity of body, speech, and mind, floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. The Buddha is often depicted sitting on a giant lotus leaf or blossom. According to legend, he was born with the ability to walk immediately and everywhere he stepped, lotus flowers bloomed.
Adapted from Southeast Asian Bloggers Network
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| The lotus and the lily, pictured here, have a major difference in that the lotus's leaves rise out of the water (below), and as described here - but see more on the family feud below. |
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The lotus has a use even as it dies. Its seeds are collected and can be used as a food or beverage. This depiction of the last days of a lotus is part of a work by Ha Huynh My, whose works are in private collections in many countries. |
For a long time, there was confusion among taxonomists regarding the relationship of lotus (Nelumbo) and water- lily (Nymphaea). But using DNA evidence along with other taxonomic studies, researchers now agree that lotus and water-lily belong to two different families. In fact, studies have shown that whereas lotus is a member of the more evolved group of plants known as the 'Eudicots', water-lily is a member of a primitive group (Nympheales) that occurred as early as the cretaceous period. The lotus plant is more closely related to Platanus or the sycamore also known as the plane tree and the members of the family Proteaceae!! A closer look by botanists revealed many similar features in the floral and vegetative morphologies between the members of lotus, sycamore and proteas. (From Simple Expressions: The World of Flowers)
