When I started my blog about Korea, it was my intention to express my feelings and mood caused by facts, thoughts and memories related to Korea. For this reason I decided to spend some posts on different colors. What do certain colors mean to me in relation to Korea?

So this month’s color is pink! Pink reminds me immediately of the splendid colored lotus flower. Since summer is coming to an end, and so also the lotus flowers, I thought it was a good moment to write something about this pink, eye-catching flower.

A lotus flower is almost similar to a water lily. They both grow in muddy water and raise their flowers above the surface. The waxy-coated leaves of the flower lily float on the water, while those of the lotus flower mostly rise above the water. In both situations the leaves try to keep the flower clean and dry.

When you visit Korea in summertime, there’s a huge chance to see blooming lotus flowers, especially in the countryside where you can find extensive fields of lotus flowers. In summertime during the daytime, they bloom with a remarkable beauty, while they close at night.

In Buddhism, the lotus flower symbolizes the true nature of all beings, the purity of the heart and mind, while also representing faithfulness, fortune, a long life, humility, honor and tranquility. For this reason, they are often used as decorations in and around temples as lanterns or on paintings, statues and pagodas or on candles, etc.

The importance of the lotus flower in Buddhism is stressed by the yearly Lotus Lantern festival to celebrate Buddha’s birthday. Whenever you have the chance to experience a temple stay program, they will certainly teach you how to make a paper lotus flowers.

The lotus flower is also used in cuisine and traditional medicine. Eaten cooked or raw, people use all parts of the plant. The crunchy root is known as an excellent source of vitamin C, while the leaves are often used to wrap steamed mixed rice and seeds. The flower itself is often used to make tea.

In traditional Oriental medicine, the flower is said to benefit liver functions and to strengthen the heart, spleen and stomach.

To me, the lotus flower is the most perfect amongst all flowers. The sad part is that the flower only lasts a couple of days, expressing the fact that nothing in life is permanent.
 

One of my favorite places to enjoy blooming lotus flowers are the fields near the Cheomseongdae and the Anapji Pond in Gyeongju. This place is loved by young people and photographers alike, who come here to make their most beautiful pictures, while older people like to gather to have a chat in the pavilion.

Sitting near a lake or pond, watching the pure beauty of the flowers, clears my mind.

Written by Guy Kusters on September 1, 2014 in Travel, Worldwide Korea Bloggers