"It's time to gather lotus in the Yangtze Valley. As lotus leaves are fair and hearty. Fish frolic amid the lotus leaves. Fish frolic to the east of the lotus leaves. Fish frolic to the west of the lotus leaves. Fish frolic to the south of the lotus leaves. Fish frolic to the north of the lotus leaves."

This ballad, from a Han Dynasty (202-220) collection of poems called Hanyuefu, paints the simple but sumptuous image of people picking lotus flowers in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. But this scene is not just the stuff of literature, it's a reality that travelers through China can experience around the Dragon Boat Festival as summer sets in.

The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province is a lotus heaven thanks to its location at the confluence of the Yangtze and Han rivers, the many canals crisscrossing it, abundant rainfall and sufficient sunshine.

Around this time of year, the city's Shahu Park puts on a kaleidoscopic show with 800 varieties of lotus surfacing on water – purple, pink, white and bright yellow. Nature lovers can admire the flowers from the banks, but also rent a boat for a truly  immersive experience.

The Honghu Park in Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province offers a similar opportunity for lotus lovers. First held in 1988, the Honghu Park Lotus Exhibition has become one of the city's most distinctive flower-themed shows, and an almost annual fixture, usually held in June.

Another place to admire these aquatic flowers is the West Lake in Hangzhou. Every summer, blossoms here attract throngs of tourists, with a boat trip always an option for a closer look.

Lotus flowers are not only aesthetically pleasant, but also a symbol of nobility in traditional Chinese culture, giving them added appeal.

(Top image edited by Liu Shaozhen.)