As summer draws to an end, villagers in Baiyangdian Lake of north China's Hebei Province, an area with expansive lakes and home to a vast number of lotuses, are busy drying the big green lotus leaves in the sun. /VCG Photo

From July 15 to August 15 in the lunar calendar, villagers pick the lotus leaves in the early morning and send the dried leaves to the nearby food processing plants at night. /VCG Photo

Lotus leaves are considered a neutral herb in Chinese medicine, with the ability to clear summer heat, alleviating fevers and aiding digestion. Dry lotus leaves are widely used to add a fresh earthy tea scent to foods, most often rice and chicken. /VCG Photo

The production of lotus leaf tea has become a new source of income for local farmers. /VCG Photo