LOTUS, LOTUS a, m. lotus, lotos m. lat. lotus, gr. 1. A southern aquatic plant with large flowers, considered sacred in some countries. Sl. 18. Lotus. An Egyptian plant, divided into many generations... The most glorious of these growing on... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (Greek lotos). A plant from the family pitcher; among the Egyptians and Hindus it is revered as a sacred object. The land of the lotus is a fabulous land of lotophages, so charming that it made foreigners forget about their fatherland. Dictionary foreign words,… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Lotus- (Gelendzhik, Russia) Hotel category: Address: Sovetskaya Street 77, Gelendzhik, Russia ... Hotel catalog

Genus of perennial amphibians herbaceous plants lotus family. The flowers are large, up to 30 cm in diameter. 2 species, in temperate and tropical zones of both hemispheres. In South East Asia, Northeast Australia and southern Europe, including the Volga delta,... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

The main and, apparently, initial meaning of this mythopoetic symbol is the creative force associated with the feminine principle, hence the more special symbolic meanings L.: the womb as the birthplace of life; fertility, prosperity, offspring, longevity... Encyclopedia of Mythology

Lotus- (Irkutsk, Russia) Hotel category: 2 star hotel Address: Baikalskaya Street 14B, Irkutsk, Ro ... Hotel catalog

Lotus- (Khosta, Russia) Hotel category: Address: Cheltenham Alley, 5B, Khosta, Russia ... Hotel catalog

Lotus- (Anapa, Russia) Hotel category: 3 star hotel Address: Sportivnaya Street 14, Anapa, Russia ... Hotel catalog

LOTUS, lotus, husband. (Greek: lotos). The name of several species of flowering herbaceous marsh and aquatic plants of hot countries with edible fruits, from the family water lilies. Egyptian lotus. Indian lotus. Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

The rhizomes of this water lily of East Asian origin are often used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. As a rule, perforated rhizomes are cut into transverse slices, which thanks to this look decorated with a decorative pattern.… … Culinary dictionary

LOTUS- “I love one (one) you very much” tattoo. LOTUS Leningrad Regional Fuel Union http://www.lots.spb.ru/​ energy. LOTUS summer labor and recreation group for high school students... Dictionary of abbreviations and abbreviations

Books

• Lotus of Brahma. Dilogy (Seven days in the Himalayas. Signs of Christ), Sidorov Valentin Mitrofanovich. The fates of the documentary stories that formed the duology developed differently. The first - "Seven Days in the Himalayas" - miraculously broke through the censorship slingshots, was published in 1982 in...

LOTUS(Nelumbo) is a genus of dicotyledonous herbaceous amphibian plants, the modified stems of which are immersed deep under water in the ground. At the same time, the lotus develops three types of leaves: underwater, floating and above-water, rising high above the surface of the water, which grow on flexible long petioles. It is the only representative of the Lotus family (Nelumbonaceae).

The flowers are always turned towards the sun; they bloom early in the morning and close at night. The petals turn bright pink in the morning, but gradually fade and in the afternoon you can see an incredible range of colors - from rich pink to almost white. You can admire the lotus blooming in the thickets for quite a long time, since quite a few flowers bloom on one plant, but not at the same time, although the flower itself lives only three days.

Description, types and varieties of lotus

Lotuses have been separated into an independent family since 1829, called Nelumbonaceae. This family consists of only one genus - Nelumbo and three species:

• Nut-bearing lotus, or Indian - lat. Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., inhabitant of the Old World (1788);
• Yellow lotus, or Nile water lily, which is called the American lotus - Nelumbo lutea Pers. (1807);
• Five-petalled lotus - Nelumbo pentapetala (Walter) Fernald (1934).

This unusual aquatic plant first appeared in North Africa, but this moment it can be found even in Southern Europe. The lotus is especially common in the tropics and temperate zones. Nelumbo nucifera (nut-bearing) formerly known as N. speciosum (Wild), grows wild in South and Central Asia. It grows in muddy, stagnant and slowly flowing waters of the Nile and Ganges. It is this plant that is considered sacred in the eyes of the natives.

The entire plant is considered edible, and the root is a delicacy and is widely used for medicinal purposes. It is better to collect flowers in the pre-dawn hour, as soon as they are ready to open towards the sun. At this time, flowers are most fragrant and suitable for various purposes. As is already known, seeds remain viable for centuries, but see all this on a separate page...

Or Indian(lat. Nelumbo nucifera)
It grows in northeastern Australia, the Russian Far East, the Philippine Islands, the Malay Archipelago, the island of Sri Lanka, as well as in India, China, and Japan. This type can be found in Kalmykia, the Volgograd region (Sredneakhtubinsky district, before reaching the village of Lebyazhya Polyana), the Astrakhan Nature Reserve, the Krasnodar and Primorsky Territories.

The plant has large shield-shaped leaves that rise above the water, pale green below and dark green above. The waxy coating gives a slight bluish tint to the entire plant. Erect petioles reach a length of two meters, the rhizomes are quite branched, powerful and knotty. Large lotus flowers, 25-30 cm in diameter, are pink in color and have a not strong but pleasant aroma. In the center of the flower there are many bright yellow stamens. Quite large single-seeded nuts (fruits) 1.5 cm long, with a dense pericarp, located in a cone-shaped receptacle. The first leaves of the nut-bearing lotus appear in May, and it blooms in late July or early August. The flowering period ends in late autumn.

Nut lotus has recently begun to be divided into two subspecies:

• Caspian lotus (Nelumbo caspica);
• Komarov's lotus (Nelumbo komarowii).

Lotus yellow, or Nile water lily(Nelumbo lutea)
It became widespread in the New World. Grows on the Hawaiian Islands, the coast of Central and North America, therefore it also has the name American lotus. This species is practically no different from the nut-bearing lotus, except in the color of the flowers and the duration of flowering. This plant has bright flowers yellow, open at sunrise in May, and by noon they form buds. Flowering lasts no more than five days, then it sheds its petals.

(Nelumbo caspica)
Not everyone knows that the lotus flower grows not only in the tropical latitudes of Africa or America, but is also found in our country. It is also called Astrakhan rose, Caspian or Chulpan rose. Currently, this famous pink flower lives both in artificial pools and reservoirs, and in natural environmental conditions.

The appearance of lotus in the Caspian Sea still causes heated debate. Some believe that it was brought by Buddhist monks from Kalmykia, while others claim that it has been preserved since the Tertiary period. The Caspian lotus was first found in the Chulpan Bay by the Russian scientist Semyon Ivanovich Gremyachinsky in August 1849. Now the flower grows in bays and lakes with very warm water. When the water level drops significantly, the plant finds itself on dry land, but continues to develop. The Caspian lotus blooms at the end of summer, and by October the fruits are already ripening.

Lotus Komarova(Nelumbo komarowii)
It grows in the Far East in the Amur basin, along the lower reaches of the Ussuri River, on Lake Malaya Khanka, where it occupies quite vast areas. Here it has been preserved from past eras as a living fossil, when the climate was much warmer. It gradually adapted to existing conditions and became frost-resistant. Usually the silt in which its rhizomes overwinter does not freeze, but in rare cases of freezing the plant dies.

Garden lotus varieties

In addition to the main types of lotus, there are garden varieties, which were bred artificially:

• "Pygmaea Alba" - lotus white with small flowers having a diameter of up to 12 cm.
• "Lily Pons" is distinguished by the presence of cup-shaped flowers of salmon or pinkish color.
• "Kermesina" - a plant bred by a Japanese breeder, has red double flowers.
• "Mrs Perry D. Slocum" has quite large pink flowers, which become creamy over time.
• "Moto Botan" - a variety bred for growing in barrels or containers small size. Its flowers have a rich crimson color.

Family: lotus (Nelumbonaceae).

Homeland: North Africa, South Asia.

Form: herbaceous plant.

Description

Lotus is a herbaceous perennial that lives in aquatic environment. The plant has a thick rhizome lying in the soil at the bottom of the reservoir, emergent leaves and flowers on long petioles. Large, up to 70 cm in diameter, funnel-shaped lotus leaves are covered with a waxy coating, so they do not get wet. They rise above the water, which distinguishes them from nymphs and water lilies. Large, up to 30 cm in diameter, single multi-petaled lotus flowers, slightly raised above water surface Thanks to the high peduncle, they can be colored pink, yellow, or cream. A blooming lotus changes its location following the movement of the sun. The lotus fruit is a cone-shaped capsule with numerous seeds and nuts.

In the cultures of India, Egypt, China, Sri Lanka and some other countries, the lotus is considered sacred plant.

The lotus family has only two species:

(N. nucifera) is a relict representative of the lotus family. Spectacular large flowers, bright pink at the beginning of flowering, gradually change color to white, have a subtle pleasant aroma. The seed method of propagation of this species is not effective; plants are propagated by rhizomes.

or American lotus (N. lutea) is distributed throughout the North American and South American continents. The flower is quite large, fragrant, and can be painted snow-white or cream.

Growing conditions

The optimal place for planting a lotus is a pond with standing or slowly flowing water measuring at least 3x3 meters and a depth of about one meter (at least 70 cm), partially or completely shaded by a spreading tree. The bottom of the pond is laid out with small pebbles, on top of which a layer of loamy soil is poured.

Application

Lotuses are decorative throughout the spring-summer season; they bloom from mid-July to August. Lotuses are used for landscaping garden ponds, or grown as a container plant in decorative containers. Exotic and exquisite lotuses will fit perfectly into almost any garden style, but these wonderful aquatic plants are especially appropriate in gardens.

The rhizomes and seeds of the lotus are eaten and also used in cosmetology and folk medicine.

Care

A pond with lotuses must be regularly cleaned of duckweed. Lotuses should not be allowed to grow near the shore - between coastline and a group of plants should remain a strip of clean water. This is necessary so that the dying parts of the lotus do not increase the layer of silt. In spring, it makes sense to thin out too dense lotus thickets. During drought, water should be added to the pond, maintaining it at an optimal level for the plants. Lotuses do not need feeding.

A lotus wintering in a pond with a non-freezing bottom does not need to be prepared for the cold season. In a shallow pond, the plant can be left for the winter, having first drained the water from the pond and covered the rhizomes with fallen leaves, polystyrene foam, sawdust, and moss. Another way to overwinter lotus is in containers. Lotus rhizomes are moved into a container along with bottom soil. The substrate should be lightly covered with water. Until spring, the containers are kept in a cool place, making sure that the lotuses do not begin to grow prematurely.

Reproduction

Lotus is propagated by seeds and rhizomes. The advantages of the first method are relative simplicity and better adaptation of plants to their environment; the second method is quite labor-intensive, but it allows you to see the lotus bloom 1-3 years earlier than with the seed method.

When growing lotus from seeds, you should take lotus nuts collected from late August to October. Seeds are germinated in warm water at a temperature of +18...+25C⁰. The sprouted seeds are moved into a container filled with 15-20 cm of water. A small layer of garden soil mixed with clay is placed at the bottom of the container. As the lotuses grow, water is added to the vessel. Young plants are moved into the pond only when they are guaranteed to run out. spring frosts. When growing in containers and planting in a pond, it is strictly unacceptable to drown lotus leaves - this is detrimental to the plants. Lotuses grown from seeds bloom in the 5-6th year of life.

The elongated, banana-shaped rhizomes of the lotus are harvested for planting in the same season as the seeds. This is done exclusively by hand and with great care - care must be taken not to damage the small fibrous roots. Rhizomes are also planted by hand. To do this, oblong holes are made in the bottom soil and “bananas” are placed in them. These processes are labor-intensive in themselves, but this is the only way, if the maintenance conditions are met, to achieve rapid flowering of lotuses. If adult rhizomes (from 8 years of age) are used for transplantation, then the first lotus flowers can be seen within 1-2 years.

Diseases and pests

Lotus is a very disease resistant plant. Its main natural enemy is aphids, which attack unopened lotus buds. You can get rid of it by carefully using insecticides, or simply washing aphids off the plants in the morning with a stream of water from a hose. Occasionally, lotus can be damaged by caterpillars. To combat them can also be used in special drugs, but only in limited doses - their use should not disturb the pond ecosystem.

Popular lotus varieties:

• "Alba Grandiflora"– large white flowers;
• "Lily Pons"– cup-shaped flowers of salmon or pinkish color;
• "Kermesina"– red double flowers;
• "Mrs Perry D. Slocum"– large pink flowers that acquire a creamy hue over time;
• "Moto Nerd"– container variety with deep crimson flowers.

​purity, divinity​

​Buddhists associated the lotus with the image of Buddha: when he was born, a generous rain of lotuses fell from the sky. The boy immediately took the first seven steps, and where his feet left traces, lotuses grew. The most famous yoga pose, in which meditative concentration and the sharpest concentration of attention are achieved, was called the “lotus” pose for a reason. Buddha is also depicted sitting on a blossoming lotus flower: its root is like matter, the stem stretching upward is the soul, and the flower that does not touch the water and the sun-drenched flower is spirit. “Even living among the mud of a swamp, you can remain spotlessly clean,” said the Buddha. Therefore, the lotus position symbolizes nirvana - the complete opening of the soul and spirit. Buddha's Paradise was also represented as gardens with blooming white, blue, yellow, pink and red lotuses in ponds.​

​The Egyptians used Nile lotus oil in love magic: they believed that by dropping them on the three main points - behind the ears and in the center of the forehead - they formed a pyramid, with its apex facing the stars - and this made them especially charming. The lotus also served as a talisman: by inhaling the aroma of the flower, a person received its protection, and if he constantly wore a stem, leaf, petal or lotus nut on his body, the gods bestowed him with blessings, happiness and immortality.​

​Dropping my sleepy head

The lotus aura can change a person’s consciousness and direct his thoughts to more spiritual spheres. It is not without reason that in the East, from ancient times to this day, the lotus has served as the most popular symbol of Spiritual development, as well as a symbol of almost all eastern deities.​

​B Ancient Greece There were widespread stories about people eating lotus - “lotophagi” (“lotus eaters”). According to legend, anyone who tastes lotus flowers will never want to part with the homeland of this flower.​

​In Taoist folklore, the virtuous maiden He Xiangu was depicted holding in her hands the “flower of open heartfulness” - a lotus or a staff with elements of this flower. Its image plays an important role in Chinese and Buddhist art, in particular in painting: - ancient Chinese artists painted a lotus lake in the western part of the sky. The lotus growing on this lake, according to their ideas, communicated with the soul of a deceased person. Depending on the degree of a person’s virtue in earthly life, the flowers bloomed or withered. Colorful photos of blooming lotuses will give happiness and good luck in the quest to comprehend all the secrets of nature. .​

​The mythopoetic tradition of Ancient India represented the earth as a giant lotus blooming on the surface of the waters, and heaven as a huge lake overgrown with beautiful pink lotuses, where righteous, pure souls live.​

​Lotus flowers are amazingly beautiful and always face the sun. Purity and beauty are what make it sacred. Although the lotus grows from muddy water, it always remains dry and radiates purity and freshness. The reason for this is the special structure of its petals and leaves: they can repel water and self-clean. The water collects in drops and flows off, collecting everything from the leaf that could contaminate it.​

​Lotus - sacred flower Buddhism surprises scientists all over the world; its leaves and petals always remain pure. The flower serves as a symbol of the spirit that has risen above sensory world since he keeps his unsullied White flower emerging from muddy water. This is explained by its rough surface, visible through a microscope, from which all dirt is washed off by rain.​

Rhizome (rhizome) of water lily. Fresh lotus roots are large and covered with a red-brown skin that must be removed before use. It is similar in texture and color to potatoes, but voids along the root are created at the cut beautiful pattern- flower; therefore, lotus roots are a popular garnish for dishes. Canned lotus roots are always available for sale.​

​depending on where, scouts have 3 petals: care for the younger ones, honor and dignity,​

​In the Feng Shui movement, which is popular today all over the world, images of a lotus flower or its glass figurines are used to awaken spiritual consciousness and pacify the home atmosphere, to activate zones of wealth and partnership.​

An ancient Egyptian proverb says: “Many lotuses on the water - there will be great fertility.” And this was already a completely earthly happiness for the Egyptian people - after all, hearty bread was baked from lotus fruits rich in starch, fiber and sugars and medicinal infusions were prepared.​

​Lotus flowers have perhaps the richest and most universal symbolism in the world and are described in large quantities the most sacred myths and legends. They are known not only for their exquisite beauty and delightful aroma, but also for their healing properties - pacifying the spirit and healing the body, giving vitality and confidence, attractiveness and long youth. In fact, the lotus is the most sacred plant of the Eastern countries, which unanimously identify it with light, pristine purity, chastity and self-knowledge.​

Lotus in human life

​The use of lotus is especially recommended for those people who are too mired in the material world, who all the time think only about work, money and profit, completely forgetting about the second side of their personality - the spiritual. If such a person carries lotus petals with him or sits near this plant for at least half an hour, then gradually his character and consciousness will change. His nature will become more refined, he will gradually begin to turn his attention to spiritual matters.

​An ordinary lotus has fruits that are not sweet, but the lotus flower is another species (lotus tree) that has sweet fruits. The lotus tree, along with the flower, has considerable symbolism. In the same Greek mythology, the nymph Lotis (Lotis), fleeing from Priapus who was pursuing her, turned into a lotus tree.​

​The ancient Indian epic "Mahabharata" describes a lotus that had a thousand petals, shone like the sun and scattered a delicious aroma around. This lotus, according to legend, lengthened life, restored youth and beauty.​

​The sacred lotus flower has been worshiped for many centuries, it has occupied place of honor in religious rituals, traditions and legends, this is evidenced by numerous monuments of writing, architecture and art. More than five and a half thousand years ago, the Egyptians depicted lotuses on tombs, and on the altars of sacrifices it symbolized the resurrection from the dead, although in Egyptian hieroglyphs it meant joy and pleasure. Women, going to visit, decorated their hair with lotus flowers and held their bouquets in their hands.​

​Pearl in a lotus flower!​

​Preparing lotus root​

​Egyptians have life...​

​Homer described in the Odyssey a long-standing myth about “lotophages” - people who tasted the lotus and forgot their past life and those who do not want to leave the place where the magical flower blooms - Libya (it was in such a place that Odysseus’s companions wanted to stay forever). And the ancient Romans had a legend about the nymph Lotis, pursued by Priapus, who turned into a lotus flower. Hercules made one of his journeys in a golden boat in the shape of a lotus. Ovid's Metamorphoses tells the story of Dryope, who picked a lotus, being transformed into a lotus tree. This flower was also dedicated to Aphrodite and Hera.​

​The ancient Vedic civilization considered the Lotus to be the flower of Life, since it was present in the original chaos, and gave rise to all things: The Upanishads describe the earth as a lotus flower floating on the surface of cosmic infinity. Hindus depicted the throne of many Hindu gods as a lotus. From the navel of the first god in the world, Vishnu, a lotus once grew, and from this flower Brahma, the creator of the worlds, appeared. The gods plowed the ocean of milk - and then the goddess of happiness and beauty Lakshmi emerged from its depths with a lotus in her hands, becoming the wife of Vishnu.​

Lotus Life Power

​The exquisite child of Flora has enough reasons for such veneration: having originated in the muddy bottom, the lotus bud overcomes the thickness of the water and blooms at dawn under the first rays of the sun - and at sunset it closes its petals again and plunges into the dark, cool depths. So the lotus began to personify the Sun, the movement of heavenly bodies, the change of day and night. In addition, this flower symbolizes the Universe, eternity and time - past, present and future - because the same plant simultaneously has seeds-nuts, flowers and buds that have not yet opened. Lotus fruits that fall into infertile soil can sleep for a century and a half, and then again give life to beautiful flowers. Combining the elements of earth (the bottom of a reservoir), water, air and fire (the sun), the lotus turns out to be inseparably linked with the creation of the world.​

​In 1881, during excavations of the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses II and Princess Nsi-Khonsu, several dried blue lotus buds were found, which had lain in the ground for 3,000 years and retained their color. Among the dazzling riches of the tomb, these flowers made the greatest impression. This is Magic force and the charm of flowers.​

It is not for nothing that the lotus is a symbol of purity in almost all traditions. He is able to cleanse the space around him from negative vibrations. The aura of this plant exudes such a powerful energy field that no evil can coexist next to it. The room where the lotus is located becomes sacred from its very presence, which is why the lotus is so often used to consecrate the altar.​

​How medicinal plant, the flower was known in China several thousand years before the new era. In traditional Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Arabic, and Tibetan medicine, all parts of the plant were used to prepare medicines - whole seeds or their large mealy germs, receptacle, petals, pedicels, stamens, pistils, leaves, roots and rhizomes.​

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What does the lotus symbolize?

origin.iknowit.ru

What does a lotus flower mean?

Pie Oksana

​Peel the lotus root, cut it into thin round slices, place immediately in acidified water (1.5-2 cups of cold water and 2-3 tablespoons of rice vinegar) for 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water.​

Alexey Kramar

​Lotus - This is a universal eastern symbol (in the West - a lily or a rose). Has solar and lunar aspects. Means death and life. Appears in images of the Sun gods in Egypt and India, as well as in images of the lunar deities of Semitic religions. Depicted by the Great Mother as the goddess of the Moon. This flower was originally the luxurious Great Waters Lily, while creatures come and go. The lotus is the cosmos rising from chaos, like the Sun rising from the lotus at the beginning of the world. This is the Flower of Light, the result of the interaction of the creative forces of the Sun and the lunar forces of water. Being a product of the interaction of fire and water, it symbolizes spirit and matter. Being the universal basis of all things, it blooms in the waters limitless possibilities. Lotus is a solar base, matrix. Opening at dawn and closing at sunset, it personifies its rebirth, and therefore any other rebirth, creation, fertility, renewal and immortality. Lotus is perfect beauty. The open flower, taking the form of a rosette, personifies the wheel of the solar matrix, the solar wheel of the continuous cycle of existence. In addition, it forms a cup, symbolizing the receptive feminine principle. According to Iamblichus, the lotus is a symbol of perfection, as its leaves, flowers and fruits form a circle - the Lotus represents spiritual unfoldment, beginning its growth from mud and mucus and growing upward through muddy waters to open in the sun and in the light of Heaven. Its root represents insolubility; the stem is the umbilical cord that binds “man to his origins; the flower has the shape sun rays; the box with seeds symbolizes the fruitful power of creation. His flower rests in the still waters. All potential possibilities are hidden in the bud. Its flowering is expansion, enlightenment, the heart, the cosmic wheel of the world of phenomena. The seed pods symbolize creation. The lotus is a mover on the waters (the hole in the seed pod is smaller than the seeds inside it and when the pod bursts, the seeds scatter to take root where the water carries them). The lotus is also a symbol of an extraordinary or divine birth, emerging unsullied from the mud of the waters. The gods depicted emerging from the lotus symbolize the world growing from the element of water, while the lotus symbolizes the Sun emerging from the initial waters of Chaos. Being solar-lunar, the lotus is also androgynous, self-sufficient and immaculate in its purity. The image of a flame rising from a lotus is interpreted as a divine revelation, and the union of the dualistic forces of fire and water, the Sun and the Moon, man and woman. The lotus flower and leaf can support existence at any level. In the Assyrian, Phoenician and Hittite cultures, the lotus has funerary significance and personifies death and rebirth, resurrection and future life, the productive forces of nature. If the lotus is depicted next to a bull, it has a solar meaning and is associated with the Sun gods. Depicted with a cow, it becomes lunar and an attribute of the Moon goddesses. He often appears in images together with a lion, ram, goose, swan and swastika. The lotus associated with the cobra signifies the life-giving and death-defying power of the Great Mother; the dual nature of the manifested world; tension between opposites in the process of transformation into ultimate unity. The thousand-petalled lotus is a symbol of the Sun, the firmament, and in relation to a person it symbolizes the skull. The lotus throne means perfection, harmony in the universe, the pinnacle of spiritual perfection. Two lotuses mean the Upper and Lower Waters. In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes the primordial waters; potential capabilities of the manifested world and man in it; spiritual opening and blossoming; wisdom, nirvana. The lotus stem is the world axis on which stands the flower of the lotus throne - the pinnacle of the spirit. The lotus is dedicated to Buddha, who emerged from the lotus in the form of a flame and was called the Pearl of the Lotus.​
But the old legend of the North American Indians describes the birth of the “lotus” in a much more inspired and epic way: a brave and powerful tribal leader shot an arrow into the sky, which the North Star and Venus wanted to receive. When they rushed to catch her, they collided with their foreheads - bright sparks rained down on the ground and fell into the reservoir. From them white water lilies appeared.

Victor Gusev

​In China during the Taoist era, the lotus was considered a sacred plant: the maiden He Xin-gu, one of the Eight Immortals, was depicted with a lotus flower in her hands. The structure of the Universe in Buddhist belief is understood as countless lotuses, contained successively one within the other ad infinitum. The image of this flower was necessarily present in Chinese painting - in the western part of the sky, artists depicted the “heavenly lotus lake” - so in Ancient China understood a paradise where every flower communicated with souls. If the deceased person was virtuous, the lotus blossomed; otherwise, it withered.

Julia SL

​Inheriting their gods, the pharaohs decorated their heads with flowers of the “heavenly blue lily”, wore scepters in the form of a lotus flower on a long stem, and the tombs of their rulers were strewn with its petals - so that they would be resurrected in afterlife. Five lotuses were the emblem of Upper Egypt, and the buds were engraved on gold coins. Lotus wreaths were used to decorate statues of gods, temples, and the heads of important guests, and at feasts servants carried fresh flowers like dishes, and replaced them with fresh ones at the first signs of wilting. Lotus was used in Egyptian architecture - on columns, as a wall decoration. The Egyptians even used the image of a lotus as a hieroglyph for the number 1000.​