These are lotus flowers from West Lake - Lang Son Online Newspaper

Since ancient times, the people of Thang Long (Hanoi) have been proud of their hundred-petaled lotus, a specialty with large flowers and an unparalleled fragrance. The lotus is deeply intertwined with the cultural and spiritual life of the Vietnamese people, and the West Lake lotus has even found its way into cuisine, appearing in lotus tea and lotus-themed dishes.

Harvesting hundred-petaled lotus flowers by West Lake. (Photo by Quang Thai)

There was a time when the area for growing lotus plants was shrinking. Now, with renewed awareness, the area for growing lotus plants has increased. The lotus plant is not only an important element in the development of the cultural industry but can also be considered one of the iconic images of the capital city.

The hundred-petaled lotus is revived.

Thuy Su Pond was once one of the most famous lotus ponds in West Lake. However, there was a time when the pond water was polluted, preventing the clean-loving lotus species from growing. For several seasons, Thuy Su lacked the pink lotus blossoms and the fragrant scent that wafted far and wide. Now, seeing the waves of lotus leaves swaying in the wind and the pink lotus blossoms peeking out, many people around West Lake can't help but feel emotional.

The revival of the hundred-petaled lotus began in early spring 2024, when the People's Committee of Tay Ho District, in coordination with the Central Research Institute of Vegetables and Fruits and the Hanoi Agricultural Extension Center, implemented the project "Building a model for lotus production linked to ecotourism development along the value chain in Tay Ho - Hanoi".

Technical experts and local people had to clean up the mud. Following that, the trial planting of the hundred-petaled lotus took place amidst the anxiety of the growers. After a period of environmental changes, it was highly possible that the hundred-petaled lotus would not adapt.

Ms. Tran Thi Thuy, one of the households participating in the project, shared: "Initially, we planted a small amount, thinking that if the hundred-petaled lotus didn't grow well, we would have to plant a different variety. But luckily, the lotus seedlings grew very well, so we planted them on a large scale. This is only the first 'test' lotus crop, but the lotuses are quite beautiful and can already be used to infuse tea."

Although the lotus flowers are not yet large, their petals not as thick, and their color not as vibrant as the hundred-petaled lotus of the past, this is enough to satisfy the aspirations of the people of Tay Ho. A short distance away, at Dau Dong pond (Nhat Tan ward), the lotus flowers are also growing vigorously, displaying their brilliant pink color. The total area for the project is currently over 7.5 hectares.

It's difficult to pinpoint the exact time when the first lotus plants "settled" in West Lake. But for a very long time, Hanoians have been proud of the hundred-petaled lotus found here, as reflected in the folk song: "There's gold, here's black copper / Here's the honeysuckle, here's the West Lake lotus."

Scientists also acknowledge that the hundred-petaled lotus in West Lake is a variety with many valuable characteristics. For many people in the West Lake area, the lotus plant and lotus flower have become companions.

Ms. Ngo Thi Than (Xuan Dieu Street, Quang An Ward, Tay Ho District), the heir to the lotus tea-making craft of Ms. Nguyen Thi Dan – an artisan who is now 100 years old and whose entire life has been dedicated to lotus and tea – begins her story about the lotus in an unexpected way: "When a lotus bud first emerges, there is always a leaf protecting it. Gradually, the bud becomes stronger, growing taller than the leaf, and only then does it begin to bloom. We have been connected to the lotus plant since childhood; everyone has memories associated with it." One must be deeply connected and observe very carefully to discern each moment of the lotus plant's development in this way.

The Vietnamese people are deeply connected to the lotus plant and lotus flower in many aspects: cultural, spiritual, and even in their daily lives. For the people of Hanoi, the hundred-petaled lotus has also entered their culinary culture as a symbol of exquisite elegance. The lotuses are harvested quickly to prevent their fragrance from fading, and then the essence of nature is extracted from each flower and infused into tea through the art of lotus-infused tea.

In the past, lotus growers along West Lake would both bring lotuses to the Old Quarter to serve the people of Hanoi infusing tea, and also personally infuse their own tea with the finest ever. It takes more than 1,000 hundred-petaled lotus flowers to infuse 1 kg of tea, and it requires seven stages of "fragrance infusion" with elaborate and complex steps. "Tea infused with lotus seeds has a reddish-brown color, and even after several infusions, the tea retains its fragrance. Infusing tea with lotus flowers is a new method; the tea is placed inside a lotus flower and tied, allowing the fragrance to directly permeate the tea. The resulting tea is closer to its original color, has a stronger flavor, but the lotus scent is also lighter. We source hundred-petaled lotuses from ponds on the outskirts of the city, but those from West Lake are still the best, giving the tea a more intense fragrance," shared Ms. Ngo Thi Than.

Infusing tea with lotus petals is a unique cultural tradition of the West Lake region. (Photo by LƯU HIỀN)

Positioning a cultural-tourism brand

Nowadays, the hundred-petaled lotus is not only grown in West Lake but is also propagated and developed in many other districts and counties in Hanoi such as Bac Tu Liem, Me Linh, Chuong My... with a total area of ​​hundreds of hectares. However, the West Lake hundred-petaled lotus still holds a unique position.

According to Nguyen Thanh Tinh, Vice Chairman of the Tay Ho District People's Committee, the most commendable aspect of Tay Ho's lotus flowers is their contribution to shaping the unique cultural beauty of Hanoi, especially the tradition of enjoying lotus tea. Currently, there are 129 people working in the lotus tea-making profession in the district, mainly concentrated in Quang An ward, with nearly 100 capable of teaching the craft. Tay Ho is also the largest lotus tea center in the country, producing 600-800 kg of dried lotus tea annually, not including tens of thousands of lotus-infused tea products supplied to the market.

The beauty of the West Lake lotus is also noteworthy because it is situated in a harmonious setting with the sky and water of West Lake – the capital's most famous scenic spot, surrounded by numerous historical sites and cultural heritage. These include Tay Ho Palace, associated with the encounter between Scholar Phung Khac Khoan and Mother Lieu Hanh during one of the Holy Mother's incarnations; Kim Lien Pagoda – a unique architectural masterpiece, worthy of being called a "golden lotus" by West Lake; and a series of ancient craft villages: Nhat Tan peach orchards, Tu Lien kumquat orchards, Phu Thuong sticky rice villages… and even the age-old tradition of infusing tea with lotus flowers practiced by the people of Quang An ward.

Associate Professor Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, assessed: "Hanoi is actively promoting the development of the cultural industry. We always hope that the unique cultural values ​​of the capital city will be exploited to develop the cultural industry and tourism. Tay Ho could become a cultural industry center of the capital city by exploiting the unique cultural values ​​in the area and promoting the Tay Ho lotus brand."

Based on this reality, Tay Ho district has realized the exploitation of the value of the lotus plant through various activities, most notably the Hanoi Lotus Festival and the introduction of OCOP products associated with the culture of the northern mountainous provinces in 2024, which was held in mid-July 2024.

Hanoi is focusing on developing lotus cultivation as part of its agricultural restructuring strategy, linked to urban agriculture and tourism development. However, this must begin with the lotus itself. Around West Lake, there are still 18 ponds and wetlands, covering tens of hectares. Tay Ho District will "cover" the entire system of ponds and wetlands with the vibrant colors of the hundred-petaled lotus. In the city, the total area planted with lotus currently reaches 600 hectares. In the future, the lotus area will be increased by 1.5 times, to over 900 hectares, with the Tay Ho hundred-petaled lotus being the priority variety for widespread cultivation.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/day-sen-tay-ho-5015639.html