Readers are cordially invited to enjoy Hue Today Weekly No. 76 or access the online edition at https://huengaynay.vn/xem-bao from June 14th

At the beginning of summer, although the lotus flowers have yet to fully bloom, they still attract large numbers of visitors who eagerly admire the blossoms and capture memorable moments beside the pure and graceful flowers.

The seven lotus flowers, representing the first seven footsteps of Buddha after his birth, will be lit throughout the Vesak season, bringing a unique and gentle beauty to the Huong River.

Visiting Dam Chuon (Chuon lagoon) in Phu An Commune, Phu Vang District, Hue City at dawn, you will be astonished by the beauty of pink lotuses blossoming in the morning sunlight.

The lotus is one of the beautiful symbols of serenity, peace, and tranquility. In Hue, the lotus blooming season usually begins in May and June, when the weather changes into hot and sultry days. This time also coincides with April of the Lunar year, the time marked with the significant event of the Grand Buddhism Celebration (Vesak).

On the morning of April 19, a special event titled “Hue - Pioneer in Green Heritage Tourism Development and Bicycle City" took place at the Noon Gate Square - Hue Imperial Citadel. The event was jointly organized by Hue Monuments Conservation Center, Vietnam Green Building Council (VGBC), and representatives of the GCOO brand in Vietnam – VietPM.

The photo exhibition themed “Life of the lotus” by Nguyen Khoa Huy, the photographer, is being displayed at Hue City Center for Culture, Information and Sports (23 - 25 Le Loi Street), from November 26 to December 10, 2024.

These days, lotus flowers are blooming profusely in the Imperial City, along the streets, and in the suburbs of Hue, bringing it a peaceful and gentle beauty. Lotus flowers have always been closely connected to the people of Hue. Wherever visitors travel in Hue, they will encounter lotus ponds and lakes.

The lotus lanterns placed onto the middle of the Huong River symbolize the first seven footsteps of the World-Honored One after his birth.

Visitors to Hue in the summer season are greeted with the sight of fragrant lotus blossoms adorning Tinh Tam Lake, their white petals fluttering like delicate butterflies in the breeze. The gentle and refreshing fragrance of lotus permeates the surroundings, and a passing encounter with this scene instantly uplifts one's spirits.

In a late summer afternoon, I climbed up the slope in the western hilly area of Hue to visit an artist.

The lotus flower is a cultural symbol deeply rooted in the hearts of Vietnamese people in general and people of Hue in particular. From 2000 until now, in many Hue Festivals, lotus has been honored through special art programs.

On the evening of June 23, the Hue Lotus Festival 2023, themed "Lotus Beautifies Hue," was officially opened at Tinh Tam Lake in Hue City. The event is directed by the Provincial People's Committee and organized by the Department of Tourism in collaboration with LAATA Vietnam Limited Liability Company, with the participation of Hue Vietnam Organic Company Limited, Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company, and several other businesses from both within and outside the province.

The expansion of lotus area also means that the area of polluted water surface is gradually narrowed. The lotus does not only grow at heritage sites but also exists in landscape lakes of temples, pagodas, shrines, showing off its fragrance in the remote countryside...

After two previous festivals in 2018 (themed "The Legend of a Flower") and 2022 (themed "Lotus - Essence of Heaven and Earth"), the Hue Lotus Festival 2023 with the theme "Lotus Beautifies Hue" will be held at Tinh Tam Lake for three days, from June 23rd to June 25th.