A lotus flower in the "cold-resistant lotus" area. (People's Daily Online Photo)

For most of the Chinese people, it has always been a popular thing to do to enjoy the beautiful view of blooming lotus in the summer. On June 6, the 2012 West Lake Lotus Expo officially kicked off in two scenic spots in Hangzhou, 'Breeze-ruffled Lotus at Quyuan Garden' and Guo Zhuang. With the theme of "red lotus flower with green lotus leaves", more than 400 new species of lotus are exhibited, making the expo a feast for the eyes of the tourists.

There are four exhibition sectors in the "Breeze-ruffled Lotus at Quyuan Garden" area: "Green lotus leaves welcome the guests", "the lotus pool of beauty and cheer", "lotus flowers with overflowing fragrance" and "cool wind blows over the lotus". The other exhibition area Guo Zhuang is the center of this year's lotus exhibition. In total, more than 410 kinds of lotus flowers and more than 20 kinds of water plants are displayed.

Many visitors used to have the concern that they could only view the lotus from a far distance and cannot get very close. However, this year's exhibition is very different. Many of the lotuses are bred artificially by the Lingyin Management Administration and are planted inside big jars and visitors can enjoy the lotus in a very close distance.