[Photo via Beijing Daily]

The 2023 Beijing Lotus Culture Festival kicked off yesterday morning in a light drizzle. The city has a total of 12 major exhibition areas, including the National Botanical Garden (South Garden), the Summer Palace, and the Lianhuachi Park, covering an area of approximately 2,000 acres for lotus viewing. Over 300 varieties of ancient lotus, traditional Chinese lotus, and locally cultivated lotus from Beijing are on display. The Lotus Culture Festival will run until the end of August.

This year's festival introduces a themed flower for the first time. At the Lianhuachi Park, visitors can observe the themed flower called "Pink Dance Consort," which is a variety cultivated in the park. With its long and slender pink petals resembling dancing, this variety was developed through ion injection technology using the "Dancing Consort Lotus" as the parent plant. It exhibits the characteristics of a long blooming period and numerous flower buds, making it suitable for both potted and pond cultivation. Throughout the Lotus Culture Festival, the themed flower will be showcased in all exhibition areas.

Each exhibition area boasts a rich variety of lotus flowers. The Yuanmingyuan Park showcases over 200 lotus varieties. The Lianhuachi Park exhibits more than 200 varieties with over 7,000 pots of lotus flowers, including 19 Beijing's independent intellectual property lotus varieties and over 40 superior varieties. To the west of the West Dyke in the Summer Palace, a lotus flower ferry has been opened, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the romanticism of "getting lost in the realm of lotus flowers." The Beihai Park has a lotus and water lily viewing area spanning 20,000 square meters, where visitors can enjoy a leisurely boat ride through the sea of flowers.

During the Lotus Culture Festival, various exhibition areas will host a wide range of cultural activities. At the Lotus Flower Market exhibition area in Shichahai, there will be events such as the Maritime Music Festival, painting and photography exhibitions, and other colorful activities. Additionally, the opening ceremony showcased a collection of lotus-themed cultural and creative products and exhibits from each exhibition area, including lotus leaf tea, ice cream, and beverages.