"Breathing life" into lotus flowers.

Paintings on dried lotus leaves have been recognized as a 3-star OCOP product.

Growing up in a rural border region, Pham Thi Dieu Lien developed a special affection for the lotus flowers of her homeland. This led her to develop the idea of creating lotus flower tea using a unique processing method. The tea leaves, freshly opened to greet the morning sun, are picked and used to infuse the tea. The tea is wrapped between the lotus blossoms to fully absorb the fragrance and pure flavor of nature. The process is entirely handcrafted, gentle, meticulous, and heartfelt. Each lotus flower is infused for 3-4 days before the final product is ready. When enjoyed, the aroma of the tea blends with the scent of the lotus from the countryside, creating an indescribable feeling. It has a touch of rustic charm mixed with a touch of elegance and poetic beauty.

For tea connoisseurs, this is a precious gift from nature. For those unfamiliar with this beverage, lotus-infused tea is something very interesting. They can buy it as a gift, which is both unique and shows appreciation for the recipient. “Each lotus flower infused in tea contains my faith, joy, and affection. My name, Lien, means lotus, and I love lotuses very much. I just want to turn this flower into products and gifts for people to enjoy. Now, the product is being more widely accepted, and I am very happy. I hope that in the future, lotus-infused tea will receive even more support,” said Dieu Lien.

Not content with simply utilizing the pure fragrance of lotus flowers, Dieu Lien also uses lotus leaves to create works of art, under the name "Paintings on Dried Lotus Leaves." By conceptualizing and collaborating with a local artist, Dieu Lien has successfully introduced dried lotus leaf paintings under the brand name LienLotus to her customers. “As a daughter of An Nong commune, I cherish and value every aspect of the local beauty. With my love for lotuses, I find untold stories on seemingly discarded dried lotus leaves. I want to ‘breathe life’ into each simple leaf, transforming them into unique works of art so as not to waste local resources. Currently, I have the support of my customers. That motivates me to continue realizing my idea of giving ‘a second life’ to lotus leaves,” Dieu Lien shared.

According to Dieu Lien, there is no fixed formula for creating these paintings. It all depends on the artist's perception and adjustments to each leaf. Dieu Lien only selects leaves that are "ready for the right number of days," processes them by killing the leaf cells, and recreates the natural color using food coloring after removing all the mud and moss.

Lotus leaves should be harvested between 5 and 7 in the morning or in the cool afternoon to ensure their freshness and perfection. The lotus leaves, with their varying shades of light and dark, create distinct backgrounds when arranged in a frame, highlighting the intact veins. Only by seeing LienLotus' lotus leaf paintings firsthand can one truly appreciate the creativity that gives these artworks their unique and unparalleled beauty.

Through these paintings of dried lotus leaves, you will see familiar images of your homeland: playful fish, peaceful scenes come alive and evoke strong emotions. Alongside these are paintings of Buddhist teachings, tourist destinations of the province combined with delicate calligraphy, conveying profound cultural, spiritual, and religious meanings. Through these lotus leaf paintings, one can sense the story of creativity, love of nature, and pride in local cultural values.

“Thanks to my own efforts, I have achieved initial results. LienLotus dried lotus leaf paintings have been recognized as a 3-star OCOP product of Tinh Bien town. This is an ideal stepping stone for me to affirm the value of my products to customers all over the country. Currently, I am trying to develop a raw material area so that I can both produce tea and create unique lotus leaf paintings to serve the diverse needs of customers,” added Dieu Lien.

In addition, Dieu Lien will open training classes for unemployed local women on the skills of producing lotus-infused tea, selecting and processing lotus leaves, to participate in bringing products from the lotus plant of her homeland to customers throughout the country, with the support of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. “I hope that the products, a culmination of creativity and love for the lotus, will receive more support from everyone. So that in the future, LienLotus lotus-infused tea and lotus leaf paintings will have a firm foothold in the market. Through this, people can more fully appreciate the beauty and value of the lotus plant, both economically and spiritually,” Pham Thi Dieu Lien hopes.

THANH TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/-thoi-hon-cho-sen-a422350.html