荷花是中国十大名花之一,别称芙蓉、水芙蓉、芙蕖、泽之、水芝、水华、菡萏、藕花、水旦等,清艳并具,雅俗共赏,深得国人喜爱。苏州是著名水乡,湖塘众多,水域宽广,处处见荷。在苏州园林中,荷花亦得到广泛应用。苏州荷文化苏州人爱荷,植荷历史已有2500年。明清时逐渐形成全民参与的“观莲节”(农历六月二十四日),亦即最早的荷花节,被列为当时吴中三大奇事之一。“观莲节”当日,苏州人几乎倾城出动,涌向葑门外黄天荡赏荷,画船雕舫,箫鼓齐鸣。沈朝初的《忆江南》中描绘了彼时的欢乐场景:“苏州好,廿四赏荷花。黄石彩桥停画 Lotus is one of China’s top ten famous flowers, another name hibiscus, water hibiscus, Fu Mian, Ze of water, water bloom, emu, lotus flower, water, etc., Qingyan and with elegant taste common people, won the favorite. Suzhou is a famous water village with many lakes and ponds and a wide range of waters. In Suzhou gardens, lotus has also been widely used. Suzhou Dutch culture Suzhou Iowa, Dutch history has been 2500 years. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, ”Lotus Sect Festival“ (Lunar New Year, June 24), the earliest Lotus Festival, was gradually formed as one of the three wonders of Wu then. ”View Lotus Festival “ the same day, Suzhou almost Allure out, flock to the Huang Huang outside the door to enjoy the Dutch, painting boat carved Fang, Xiao drums chirp. Shen Chaochu’s ”Memories of Jiangnan“ depicts the then happy scene: ”Suzhou is good, twenty-four Lotus.