The Palace Museum in Beijing has shared a range of photos featuring its collection of lotus-themed relics with netizens on micro blog Sina Weibo. Lotus flowers, otherwise known as nelumbo nucifera, bloom in the summer, and the flowering of the plant lasts up to three months. The plant, which can flower in pink and white, is not just for admiring, but can also be eaten. The root and seed of a lotus are edible.

Pictures of some exquisite utensils from the Palace Museum's collection, themed on lotus plants, can be seen below: