“Hot summer, lucky lotus!” The annual West Lake lotus seedpod charity sale, which opened on August 14 at Liulang Wenying park (Orioles Singing in Willows), reflects the paid-off efforts of lotus caretakers. It’s also a charity event.

To ensure the healthy growth and viewing quality of West Lake lotuses, the caretakers begin thinning lotus flowers and seedpods as early as 4:00 AM daily. After four hours of meticulous work, they deliver the dewy lotus leaves and fragrant seedpods to the park, allowing everyone to get a first bite of this uniquely summer taste.

To maintain order and avoid long queues in the heat, “Buy with queuing tickets” has remained the approach for this year’s sale. Tickets start to be available at 7:00 AM each weekday at the Smile Pavilion of the park, and you can buy the seedpods from 8:30 AM at the same location with the ticket (expired tickets will be void). Chances are none to buy the second if you’ve got the first “Lucky Lotus Package” (containing 3 seedpods + 5 lotus leaves), priced at 10 yuan. The sale will be suspended during rainy days or weekends.

This year, the park partnered with Tongjuntang TCM Pharmacy for immersive lotus culture experience with incorporated “health and wellness" elements. During the hours in queue, you can follow professional instructors to practice Baduanjin exercises to relax. It’s good to start a day. The limited charity sales of “Traditional Chinese Medicine Ice Jelly” and “Lotus Leaf and Dark Plum Tea”, using fresh lotus leaves and seeds, kick off at 9:00 AM. All proceeds will also be donated. Additionally, the scenic area has invited TCM experts to provide free health consultations. The Smile Pavilion will also offer two new complimentary “health teas” - the dampness-removing and lipid-lowering Five-finger Peach Poria Cocos Tea and the liver-clearing and heat-reducing Hybrid Tea with Green Oranges.