Phuoc Kien Pagoda (Phuoc Kien Tu) in Dong Thap was established before the reign of King Thieu Tri, and was a revolutionary base during the two resistance wars against France and the United States. However, local people still often call the pagoda by the popular name "King Lotus Pagoda" because there are many giant lotus trees in the pagoda pond.
The upper surface of the leaf is smooth and light green, while the underside is spiny and has many large veins, divided into small squares that are light red when young and darken as the leaf ages.
According to abbot Thich Hue Tu, this strange lotus species appeared in the pond in 1992. No one knows its name, but people in the area often call it king lotus, nia lotus, nong tam tree...
In the dry season, lotus leaves are only 1 - 1.5m wide, but in the rainy season, when they are "full of water", lotus leaves can expand to nearly 3m wide, and only wither after 3 months. Lotus flowers bloom for 3 days, twice a day, changing color continuously.
In August 2011, based on the old folk song: "When will we be able to become a couple/Like the Tinh De lotus with one bud and two flowers", architect Doan Duc Thanh, photographer Tran Bich and Kim Chihoo went "hunting" together for many days and discovered the pink Tinh De lotus in Luong Tai, Bac Ninh.
The Tinh De lotus has the characteristic of two flowers blooming on one stem, is very rare, considered the top of all flowers, elegant, pure, ancient kings and literati loved it and had it grown in Kinh Bac, the capital.
For Buddhists and people living around the white lotus pond in front of Su Nu Pagoda (also known as Can Linh Pagoda) located in the southwest of Vinh City (Nghe An), this lotus pond always contains spiritual mysteries that are difficult to explain.
It has been more than 10 years since the land was reclaimed and sown, and this lotus pond has surprised people with its unprecedented strangeness. The white lotus of Can Linh has a longer lifespan than the lotus originally had. When the weather has moved to the end of summer, the lotus ponds outside have faded and produced seeds, but the temple lotus is still pure and innocent, with large, shy white-green buds.
There seems to be a magical escape between the immense lotus pond in the temple garden and the hustle and bustle of life going back and forth on the road.
Thai lotus is also called Bach Diep lotus or Quan Am lotus with two colors white and pink, the outstanding feature is that when the lotus blooms, there will be many tiny petals inside, creating a strange beauty. This hundred-petal lotus is grown at Ninh Xa pagoda (Thanh Tri, Hanoi).
