In Buddhism, lotus flowers are regarded as the symbol of the pure land of the west and the place where souls are conceived. The body of Buddha is often placed on top of a lotus, so the seat of Buddha is also called lotus seat.

A poet named Zhou Dunyi in the Northern Song Dynasty, about one thousand years ago expressed his love to lotus in his prose by "I just love lotus because she grows in mud, yet never contaminates with it."

Lotus flowers have become popular flowers in China with their symbol of beauty, love, longevity, and sanctity. Therefore, they are popular subjects in Chinese paintings.