For many Beijingers, the lotus is not just a flower in a park; it is a part of summer. Families plant lotus tubs in the courtyards of old homes, while the flower's leaves and seeds are used to enhance the nourishing quotient of homemade porridge.
This year, however, the city's lotus season is bigger than the courtyards. Thirteen parks, including Beihai Park, the Summer Palace and Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park, are hosting lotus festivals, which lean into the flower's imperial history.
Visitors can watch performances in ancient style, take part in ceremonies built around lotus-scented teas, join stamp-collection activities and try royal-themed drinks.
The bloom is drawing foreign photographers and vloggers in droves.
Canadian photographer Madelyn Arnold shared her photos on the Beijing municipal government's website, in the "Beijing Through Foreigners' Lens" section. "I was fully immersed in the beauty of the blooming lotus flowers and the good fortune they represent," Arnold wrote.
Scottish photographer Bruce Connolly, who has lived in China for 39 years, posted an image of lotuses blooming against the backdrop of white clouds over Shichahai on his WeChat Moments and LinkedIn account.
Shichahai is a well-preserved traditional residential area in Beijing's Xicheng district, and one of the busiest tourist spots in the city.
"Walking along the waterway on the Central Axis toward Yinding Bridge, then along Qianhai, the lotus lane is unforgettable, especially when photographing at sunset," Connolly said.
At Beihai Park, one of China's earliest and best-preserved imperial gardens, lotus flowers have bloomed for more than 800 years.
Zhang Meng, a seasoned docent there, said that locals treat lotus viewing as a shared ritual. "For typical Beijingers, visiting Beihai to appreciate lotus flowers in the cool summer or breezy early autumn is a shared passion," she said.
In the early 2000s, the park introduced more than 3,000 lotus plants, some grown from seeds that had been sent to space as part of a national scientific project. Today, lotus-themed souvenirs and lotus-flavored drinks at the park's cafes have become hugely popular.
Serbian vlogger Katarina Stojanovic, a graduate from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, pays attention to how the plant is used. She noted that Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) enjoyed summer drinks made with lotus seeds, which are known for their medicinal value.
Stojanovic tried a lotus-flavored drink at the Summer Palace. "It was so refreshing and cooling," she said. "The lotus is not just for appreciation; it serves both medicinal and culinary purposes. Lotus seeds nourish the heart, calm the mind and strengthen the spleen."
For Connolly, the Scottish photographer, the appeal is simple. "Although it's been 39 years since I first set out to discover and photograph Beijing, the passion still remains within me," he said. "Walking in the city, there is always something fascinating to capture through the lens."
