In scorching summer heat, the fragrance of lotus remains strong. This year has witnessed the 3rd Shanghai Lotus Festival held in Guyi Garden. The Festival, with the theme of green, healthy and environment-friendly, aims to encourage lotus and water lily appreciation. The ecological cleaning function of lotus and water lily in courtyards and public ponds is displayed through landscape setting. The activity impeccably matches the cultural connotation of lotus and water lily with classical gardens, presents a new perspective of water greening, and fully demonstrates the openness and tolerance of Shanghai as an international metropolis and the elegance and charm of Chinese classical gardens. The exhibition lasts from July 2 to August 2.
The Guyi Garden was built during the Jiajing period of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), about 480 years ago. The garden, covering nearly 10 hectares, is the biggest among the five great classical gardens in Shanghai -the other four being Yuyuan Garden in Huangpu, Qushui Garden in Qingpu, Garden of Autumn Vapors in Jiading and Zuibaichi in Songjiang. Various flower exhibitions such as peony and azalea are held in the Garden annually in different seasons. But the Lotus Festival in summer is the most desirable. The magnificent views of the Pond of Lotus in Guyi Garden are the most famous. Against the background of ancient pagoda and garden landscape, every lotus in the Pond seems to be painted with a historical color.