In Chinese culture, the lotus flower is of huge significance. It symbolizes purity, enlightenment and rebirth, and is often depicted in art and literature to reflect these cherished values. The essay Ode to the Lotus by Zhou Dunyi, a philosopher from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), is considered a masterpiece on the flower.
The line “The lotus grows out of mud but is not stained; it is rinsed in clear water but does not look flamboyant” from the essay has been widely recited over the years. It left a deep impression on a
