The summer scene of West Lake is very special with colorful lotus blossoms decorating much of its surface. Among the best scenes West Lake offers, West Lake with a world of lotus, has enchanted thousands of people. Quyuan Garden is the most ideal place to enjoy views of the beautiful lotus flowers. Every midsummer, people flock in to enjoy the contrast of seemingly endless fields of pink flowers against green lotus leaves: a breathtaking and charming view.

Breeze-ruffled Lotus at Quyuan Garden earned its fame during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). Then, the shore was covered with an abundant growth of lotus and was known as Crooked Courtyard. At that time, the location even featured a brewery. People said that the smell of lotus flowers and wine blended with the cool lake breeze to create an intoxicating sensation. Now the brewery is gone and the area has been turned into a big park, but plenty of lotus plants still bloom off the lake’s shores. They stand gracefully erect in the lake as if they somehow knew that they had visitors coming to admire their beauty.