The lotus, belonging to the genus Nelumbo in the order of Proteales, is a common term for two species, Nelumbo nucifera (also known as the "lotus flower") and Nelumbo lutea (also known as the "American lotus"), along with numerous cultivated varieties.

It is a perennial aquatic herbaceous plant. The underground stem is long and thick with elongated nodes, and the leaves are shield-shaped. The flowering period is from June to September, with solitary flowers at the apex of the flower stalk.

The petals are numerous, nestled in the receptacle cavity, and come in colors like red, pink, white, and purple, with variations in patterns and edges. The fruit is elliptical, and the seeds are ovate.

Lotuses encompass various types categorized into two major groups: ornamental and edible. They are native to tropical and temperate regions in Asia. Every part of the lotus is valuable—its tubers and seeds are edible, while its seeds, rhizomes, tuber nodes, leaves, flowers, and embryo of seeds are used in traditional medicine. Its ability to emerge from the mud without being tainted has been praised by people throughout history.

The lotus is often referred to as a "living fossil" and is one of the earliest plants among angiosperms. Approximately a hundred thousand years ago, before the emergence of humans, most of the Earth was covered by oceans, lakes, and swamps. During this period of humid and warm climate, ferns as tall as several meters covered various corners of the Earth.

Most seed plants couldn’t survive, except for a few resilient ones that flourished on a planet dominated by ferns. Among them was a water plant that we now call the "lotus flower," which endured the test of nature.

Roughly over a hundred million years later, primitive humans began to appear. For sustenance, they collected wild fruits to satisfy their hunger and soon discovered that the wild fruits and root nodes (namely, lotus seeds and tubers) of the "lotus flower" were not only edible but also sweet, fragrant, and delicious. Gradually, this source of sustenance deeply imprinted itself in the minds of our ancestors—the primitive humans—and became a symbol of human survival.

It wasn't until around 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, during the Neolithic Age, that with the advent of agriculture, humans began to understand the lotus further. At that time, humans settled near riverbanks, lakeshores, or marshy areas with natural springs, precisely where wild lotuses primarily grew.

The lotus symbolizes truth, goodness, and beauty. It is often used to describe kind and lovely young ladies, pure love, and noble emotions, and signifies a character that remains unstained despite being surrounded by impurities. It represents profound friendship among friends and also symbolizes purity.

Lotus, the resilient emblem of purity and endurance, embodies nature's beauty and humanity's resilience. Its graceful presence, emerging pristine from murky waters, echoes the human spirit—undaunted by challenges, symbolizing purity, resilience, and timeless elegance.