THE “LOTOS OF THE ANCIENTS. 
265 
M. Hue says : * “ This plant may be propagated by seeds, but 
more easily and rapidly by roots ; it does not require any kind 
of culture, and there is nothing comparable to the effect pro- 
duced by this splendid flower on the ponds and basins of China. 
It does not bud till towards the end of May, but its germi- 
nation is very rapid, and its great leaves, lying on the surface of 
the water or raised majestically to various heights, form a 
covering of most exquisite verdure, the beauty of which is of 
course enhanced when it is enamelled by flowers of various 
dyes. They are larger than poppies, and their dazzling tints 
are beautifully relieved by the green leaves. The young 
Chinese poets are particularly fond of celebrating the beauty of 
the water-lily gleaming in the moonlight, as the boats row about 
the basins illumined by swarms of glow-worms and fire-flies. 
Its seeds are eaten as nuts are in Europe (fig. 5), and boiled 
in sugar and water they are considered delicious by epicures. 
The gigantic root is a great resource for culinary preparations, 
and in whatever way it is dressed it is always excellent and 
wholesome. The Chinese pickle great quantities of it with 
salt and vinegar, to eat with rice ; reduced to powder, it is ex- 
tremely agreeable when boiled with milk or water, and in the 
summer it is eaten raw like fruit, and is very refreshing. 
Finally, the leaves are constantly made use of instead of paper 
for wrapping up all kinds of things, and when dried are often 
mixed with tobacco, to render it a little milder.” 
Although we cannot regard this as the mythic Lotos of 
Egypt, it was doubtless held in veneration, and is, moreover, 
considered sacred by the Hindoos, and serves for the floating 
shell of Vishnu and the seat of Brahma. Sir William Jones 
says that “ the Thibetans embellish their temples and altars 
with it, and a native of Nepaul made prostration before it on 
entering my study, where the fine plant and beautiful flowers 
lay for examination.” Thunberg affirms that the Japanese re- 
gard the plant as pleasing to the gods, the images of their idols 
being often represented sitting on its large leaves. In China 
the Shing-moo, or Holy Mother, is generally represented with a 
flower of it in her hand, and few temples are without some 
representation of the plant. 
According to Chinese mythology, Shing-moo bore a son, 
while she was a virgin, by eating the seeds of this plant, which 
lay upon her clothes on the bank of a river where she was 
bathing. When the time of her gestation was expired, she 
returned to the same place, and was there delivered of a boy. 
The infant was afterwards found and educated by a poor fisher- 
man, and in process of time became a great man and performed 
* “ The Chinese Empire,” by M. Hue. London, 1859, pp. 469, 470. 
