The lotus holds a special place in Vietnamese culture.
It is impossible not to be moved by the sight in a pond covered with lotus flowers in bloom. A common sight in Vietnam, these pink and white blossoms are associated with purity and divine perfection. Discover the beauty of most popular flowers in Vietnam in your Vietnam Travel trip.
“In the swamp nothing can compare to the lotus, with its green leaves, white petals and yellow cup. So pure even when it grows from the mud”.
Early on a summer morning, the breeze lifts the hair of girls peddling past on bicycles, the air scented with the mild perfume of flowers. Up ahead I can see a vast lotus pond.
Along with a pure beauty, lotus flowers have an amazing fragrance. Large round green leaves like umbrellas shield thin thorny stems. Some leaves stand tall, while others float on the water’s surface, shining like green velvet. White and pink petals unfurl to reveal the flower’s calyx and stamen, or remain half-shut, as if shy. At first the buds are green. Later, they turn pink or white. The seed pods offer firm, plump seeds.
Lotus flowers hold a special place in Asian cultures. They are a Buddhist symbol and a popular image in Vietnam. Every Vietnamese person knows the verse: “In the swamp nothing can compare to the lotus, with its green leaves, white petals and yellow cup. So pure even when it grows from the mud.” Planning a trip to Vietnam? Get the best Vietnam Travel Deals from Viet Vision Travel.
When a Vietnamese person reads the line “Lotuses wither then chrysanthemums bloom” in Nguyen Du’s rhyming epic The Tale of Kieu, they understand that this refers to the underlying principle that life is ever changing. A vase of lotus flowers is usually placed in the best-seen spot in the house, or on the family’s altar.
IN THE KITCHEN
But lotus plants are not only enjoyed for their beauty and symbolic purity. Local cooks have long made good use of this common plant. Lotus rolls are made from the fresh, crunchy roots. Nutty lotus bulbs are boiled and mixed with sugar as an easily digested treat for children and invalids. Lotus seeds are added to Chinese stews of herbs with chicken or pigeon to make them tastier and more nutritious.
In the hot summers, elderly folk are especially fond of che sen, sweet pudding made with dried lotus seeds and served with longans. To prepare traditional Hue sweet lotus pudding, the chef peels fresh lotus seeds and steams them with sugar. This dessert is scooped into an old-fashioned blue-patterned china bowl and respectfully placed on an ancestral or Buddhist altar.
Lotus rice, another dish that originated in the former royal city of Hue, is unforgettable. Other specialties made with lotus plants include Hanoi’s sugarcoated lotus candy, and green rice wrapped in lotus leaves from Vong Village, near Hanoi.
Open the leaf, put a pinch of green rice in your mouth, and you can taste Vietnam’s fresh countryside. The central germs of lotus seeds are to scent medical herbs, and to make a tisane with sedating qualities.
Perhaps the most special use of the lotus in Vietnam is in the preparation of lotus tea. Each region has its own technique for making lotus tea, with the most complicated methods seen in Hanoi and Hue. Its is said that heaven and earth are not separated at dawn, making this the ideal time to insert tea leaves into half-open lotus blooms. Once the tea leaves have been inserted, the petals are tied so as to prevent them from opening. This way, the tea leaves absorb the flower’s aroma.
Watching Mrs. Ngoc make lotus tea, it’s no wonder that people are in awe of her skills. The first step is to select the lotus. The tea that Mrs. Ngoc’s family makes is special because the lotuses are of a very rare variety found in West Lake. The best flowers for making the tea are from the Seven Lagoon located next to the West Lake Water Park. Lotuses from this lagoon are large and have hundreds of petals and an intense aroma. After being plucked, the flower is separated into different parts, and only the pollen is actually used to scent the tea.
Even the detail of the contract was not revealed, according to the local media, the value of the contract between the Hoa Sen Corporation and the VFF is US$100,000, equal to the value of the contract signed between the VFF and Yamaha Motor Vietnam.
Vinashin Lines told the Daily that the first Hoa Sen ship, designed to be a three-star floating hotel following European Union standards, was the first of seven to eight Hoa Sen cruise ships to be built between now and 2015.
