From childhood , we have known by heart the folk song and the lotus flowers are alike to Vietnamese people’s symbol.
” Trong đầm gì đẹp bằng sen,
Lá xanh bông trắng lại chen nhị vàng,
Nhị vàng bông trắng lá xanh,
Gần bùn mà chẳng hôi tanh mùi bùn”
In English, we can temporarily translate as below
In the pond, the lotus flower is beautiful
Green leaves, white flowers, yellow stamens
Yellow stamens, white flowers, green leaves
Near mud but it does not stink like mud.
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Lotus always blooms and has a attractive scent which is different to other ones, which get into our life with many meanings. Therefore, these ones are chosen as our National flowers.
In South of Vietnam, lotus flowers bloom from March to Sep, but in North of Vietnam they only bloom about one months on the middle of May to the middle of Jun. When lotus flower season comes in, many people appreciate to see and take pictures for saving all best memories.
Mainly, lotus flowers have two colors that are white and white pink. Each color has a different signification, white represents purity, white pink shows a devotion to Buddha. The first days of summer, there are many buds of lotus to smile bashfully behind their leaves as young girls. When lotus flowers have not bloomed, some of petals are near to green color which hug their sepals and each of soft and thin petal closes around together as solidarity, the lotus leaves steep in water lines deeply.
Lotus season coming in, they wake up all to grow up after sleeping long time and the petals are dancing and blooming to appear the yellow sepals in the sunshine. The pink color of lotus flower is neither absolutely brilliant nor fuzzy, but it is ethereal and plain to make people feeling comfortably, and also it is similar to young girls in villages at last time who are simple and honest.
Lotus flowers have a restful and enjoyable scent not as lilies or roses, they have a elegance and light smell in the air. They have a deeply profound signification to represent the beauty of Vietnamese Nation who are stout, dauntless, solid in the war to protect our country, although we live near to “mud” but we still keep the specific color, scent, beauty of ourselves.
In lotus blooming occasions, what a magical feeling when we come to lotus muds and enjoy the scenery in the early morning. And we probably breathe and infuse the fresh air which including the occasional waft of lotus.
As for me, I love this kind of flower, despite there are many tricky things up and down through many years, lotus flowers are represented to the beauty and unique identity of Vietnam which are always Vietnam’s national flowers.
Donna Nguyen 