It’s not unreasonable that Vietnamese National Assembly had chosen the lotus flower as national flower of Vietnam (in 2013). For Vietnamese people, the Lotus flower is very spiritual and loved by almost Vietnamese from all walks of life.
Lotus flower - National flower of Vietnam (Source: vnexpress.net)
The images of Lotus flower appear everywhere in Vietnam: in the lotus ponds of course; in the pictures, in lacquers, in “nón lá” (conic hat), in “áo dài” (Vietnamese tunic dress), in One Pillar pagoda, and in the meals. The Lotus flower keeps an important place in Vietnamese mentality.
About 80% Vietnamese people think that they are Buddhists, including practicing and non-practicing. That’s why almost Vietnamese people think about the lotus under the Buddhist mythology and philosophy.
The legend tells that one night the Queen Maha Maya was sleeping, and in her dream she saw an elephant having six tusks from the heavens flying down gave her a pink lotus carried from its heliotrope. Waking up, the queen felt a sense of well-being and delight with the strange scent in the room, and she had conceived Prince Siddhartha who after that became Buddha – founder of Buddhism. In Buddhist mentality the lotus flower is associated with purity, spiritual awakening and faithfulness. You can see from everywhere the statues of Buddha seating on a Lotus.
Lotus flower - National flower of Vietnam (Source: vnexpress.net)
In popular mentality of Vietnamese people, the lotus flower is considered pure as it is able to emerge from murky waters but it is perfectly clean and pure above the water face.
A Vietnamese poetry says:
“Trong đầm gì đẹp bằng sen,
Lá xanh bông trắng lại chen nhụy vàng,
Nhụy vàng bông trắng lá xanh,
Gần bùn mà chẳng hôi thanh mùi bùn”.
It means:
“What is beautiful as the lotus in a pond?
Green leaves, white flowers and yellow stamen,
Yellow stamen, white flowers, Green leaves,
Living in the mud but it is not affected by dirty mud".
Lotus flower - National flower of Vietnam (Source: vnexpress.net)
About the colors of lotus, each color has its proper meanings.
- The Blue Lotus flower is symbol of the victory of the spirit. This overcomes the normal wisdom, intelligence and knowledge.
- The White lotus flower is symbol of the awakening, the state of mental purity, the spiritual perfection.
- The Red lotus flower is related to the heart, the love and the mercy.
- The eight petals of the purple Lotus are representative of the noble eightfold path, including (1) right vision or understanding, (2) right emotion, (3) right speech, (4) right action, (5) right livelihood, (6) right effort, (7) right mindfulness, and (8) right meditation or concentration. Following Buddha, the noble eightfold path is the way of self-awakening
- The Pink Lotus flower is the supreme lotus, because it is attached with the Buddha’s birth and considered as the Buddha’s lotus.
Along your trip from the North to the South of Vietnam with Blue Sky Travel, you can see many lotus pond with beautiful Lotus flowers in the summer.
Even in Hochiminh City, only 20km from city center, you can contemplate and feel the Lotus flower’s beauties in a very big pond where the farmers welcome you with smile and pure spirit.
Click HERE and join a day tour with Blue Sky travel, you will visit this very nice lotus pond, 2 pagodas representing 2 Buddhist branches Mahayana and Theravada, and other interesting sightseeing.
Our email at inbound@blueskytravelvietnam.com or phone number at (84) (028) 3827 7007 are available for any contact from you for any tours/services bookings or further questions.