On Love of the Lotus

Among the flowers which are aquicolous, terricolous, herbaceous, and woody, the lovely ones are numerous. Tao Yuanming in Jin Dynasty had devoted himself to the chrysanthemum. The earthlings have been in fashion to be fond of the tree peony since Tang Dynasty. I love only the lotus which grows out of sludge but free from a stain, which cleanses in clear water without being coquettish, which is hollow inside and upright outside, which has no creeping stem or no bough and branch, which pervades its scent afar faintly, which is tall and straight, which can be watched in a distance but out of reach of the disrespectful. Among all the flowers, I call the chrysanthemum as a recluse, the tree peony as a wealthy and noble, the lotus as a man of honour. Alas! The way of loving the chrysanthemum as Tao Yuanming did is rarely heard of now. Who adore the lotus in the same way as I do? The affection of the tree peony ought to be in the masses.

　　　　　　　　　　　　爱莲说　　　（宋）周敦颐

　　水陆草木之花，可爱者甚蕃。晋陶渊明独爱菊；自李唐来，世人盛爱牡丹；予独爱莲之出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖，中通外直，不蔓不枝，香远益清，亭亭静植，可远观而不可亵玩焉。予谓菊，花之隐逸者也；牡丹，花之富贵者也；莲，花之君子者也。噫！菊之爱，陶后鲜有闻；莲之爱，同予者何人；牡丹之爱，宜乎众矣。