A collection of lotuses grown from 1,000-year-old seeds has bloomed again at Guangzhou's Haizhuang Temple, ending a two-year hiatus. These plants, cultivated from Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) seeds unearthed in Kaifeng, Henan Province, produce slender blossoms with uniquely curved petals—a striking echo of their ancient lineage.

The temple first succeeded in cultivating these ancient seeds in 2018 through a collaboration between botanists and resident monks, and the effort has now yielded several dozen thriving specimens. Each flower bears delicately curved petals that inward, a characteristic documented in historical records of Song Dynasty lotuses.

Visitor Information

Location: Haizhuang Temple, 188 Nanhua Zhong Road, Haizhu District

Hours: 8:00-17:00 daily (free admission)

Optimal Viewing: 8:00-10:30 (flowers fully open by 10:30, closing around 13:00)

Bloom Window: Early July to early August (inpidual flowers last 4-5 days)

Temple staff advise early morning visits to observe the blossoms before they close. Photography is permitted, though visitors are requested to maintain silence.

Author | Feng Huiting

Editor | Wei Shen, James, Shen He