荷花姑姑（Aunt Lotus）

母女情深

原创：倪捷儿 拍摄：千喜

Original: Ni Jie, Photography: Qianxi

夏日的江南，最美的就是那满湖绿衣裳的荷塘了。朵朵荷花争相竞馥，花影入波，恍如朝霞成绮；片片荷叶翩翩起舞，婀娜多姿，泛起绿浪如海。碧沼停寒玉，红蕖映绿波，说不尽的千姿百态。荷也叫莲、芙蓉、菡萏、芙蕖、泽芝等，是我国栽培的历史悠久的植物，倍受人们的喜爱。

In the summer of Jiangnan, the most beautiful thing is the lotus pond full of green clothes. The lotus flowers compete with each other for fragrance, and the shadow of the flowers enters the waves, as if the morning sunbeams have become a quilt; the leaves of the lotus leaves dance gracefully, swaying and forming green waves like the sea. The cold jade stops in the green pond, and the red lotus reflects the green waves. There are countless varieties that cannot be described. Lotus is also called lotus, lotus flower, lotus bud, lotus flower, and marsh grass. It is a plant with a long history of cultivation in China and is loved by people.

周敦颐在《爱莲说》云：“予独爱莲之出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖。中通外直，不蔓不枝，香远益清，亭亭净植，可远观而不可亵玩焉。予谓菊，花之隐逸者也；牡丹，花之富贵者也；莲，花之君子者也。”观花、插花、撰花，不仅为感官享受，亦为涵养心性，所观、所插、所撰，都是情怀罢了。

In "The Love of Lotus," Zhou Dunyi said, "I alone love the lotus that comes out of the mire without being stained, and is cleansed by the clear water without becoming wicked. It is upright both inside and out, without branches or stems, its fragrance becomes clearer with distance, and it stands tall and pure. It can be admired from afar, but not played with. I say that chrysanthemums are the hidden recluses of flowers; peonies are the wealthy flowers; and lotus is the gentleman of flowers." Observing flowers, arranging flowers, and writing about flowers are not only for sensory enjoyment, but also for cultivating one's character. What is observed, arranged, and written about is all about emotions.

里叶村位于浙江省建德市大慈岩镇，东南连接兰溪诸葛八卦村，西与龙游石窟毗邻，西北与市境内大慈岩景区相连。每年夏季，里叶村家家户户采莲、剥莲、通莲、晒莲、卖莲。村外的田畈中，莲叶连接成一片无垠的碧波，朵朵白色的、粉色的莲花和一个个长满子实的莲蓬，点缀着这绿色的世界。

Liyé Village is located in Dazhiyan Town, Jiande City, Zhejiang Province. It is connected to the Zhuge Baiguan Village in the southeast, adjacent to Longyou Grottoes in the west, and connected to the Dazhiyan Scenic Area in the northwest. Every summer, every household in Liyé Village picks lotus, peels lotus, cleans lotus, dries lotus, and sells lotus. In the fields outside the village, the lotus leaves connect to form an endless expanse of blue water, with white and pink lotus flowers and full-of-seeds lotus pads decorating this green world.

手执莲蓬情绵绵，回头一眸夏意浓。欲与荷仙结亲缘，自称姑姑可否好。2018年的仲夏，第一次来到建徳里叶村十里荷塘，瞬间为之惊愕驻足。那样似开不开，欲语不语，将红未红，待香未香的株株红莲。那样似亭亭舞女的裙，似盈盈碧水的波，似绵绵连天的云的片片莲叶，那份欢喜，着实难忘。

Holding a lotus bud, my feelings are endless. Turning my head, I see the summer is strong. I want to marry the fairy of the lotus and ask if I can be her aunt. In the midsummer of 2018, I first came to Jian De Li Ye Village's ten-mile lotus pond, and was immediately stunned and stopped. Those red lotus flowers, like they were about to bloom but didn't, like they wanted to speak but didn't, like they were about to be red but weren't yet, like they were about to be fragrant but weren't yet. Those lotus leaves, like the skirts of a graceful dancer, like the waves of a lush green water, like the clouds that stretch endlessly. That joy is truly unforgettable.

烟雨濛濛里叶村，绿云绵绵连天边，十里荷花菡萏初，紫红粉白纹镶边。轻呼荷花众仙子，姑姑来看你们了。2020年的暮春，当荷花姑姑在茅家埠看到第一瓣荷叶时，心就开始旑旎了，盼着夏的到来，盼着那一抹红、一片绿的相见。孟夏的雨淅淅沥沥，看过断桥、郭庄的荷，总觉得没看够。

In the misty village of Ye, green clouds stretch endlessly to the horizon. Ten miles of lotus flowers have just bloomed, with purple, red, pink, and white patterns on the edges. Call the lotus fairies, Auntie has come to see you. In the late spring of 2020, when Auntie Lotus saw the first lotus leaf in Maojia Bu, her heart began to bloom, looking forward to the arrival of summer and the meeting of that red and green. The rain drizzled in mid-summer, and after seeing the lotus in Duanqiao and Guo Zhuang, I always felt like I hadn't seen enough.

雨一直一直下，淅淅沥沥，滴滴答答、噼里啪啦，好像要把唐诗宋词里的雨都下了个遍。那日出门还暴雨，到达时居然晴了。只见荷叶浓密的绿中，探出朵朵亭亭玉立的荷花。有的灿烂地微笑着，嫩蕊摇芳；有的遮着眉眼，娇羞低语；有的抚媚着轻风，轻歌曼舞；有的青睐着游人，柔情四溅。

The rain kept falling, drizzling, pitter-pattering, and crackling, as if it wanted to pour all the rain from Tang and Song poetry. The day I went out, it was a torrential rain, but when I arrived, it was sunny. In the dense green of the lotus leaves, there were lotus flowers standing upright. Some were smiling brightly, swaying their tender buds; some were covering their eyes and eyebrows, whispering shyly; some were caressing the gentle breeze, dancing gracefully; and some were flirting with the tourists, overflowing with tenderness.

只见轻烟似的薄雾缭绕在荷塘里，满塘碧绿的荷叶，尖尖的莲笔，更多的荷花怒放着，点缀于绿叶之中。雾气在荷叶上凝聚成一颗颗晶莹的水珠，微风轻拂，一颗颗珍珠在荷叶上滚来滚去，有时几颗珍珠聚成一颗大珍珠，荷叶身躯一晃，颗颗珍珠便滴落荷塘叮咚有声，颇有大珠小珠落玉盘的情趣。

I saw a thin mist like a light smoke swirling around the lotus pond. The pond was full of green lotus leaves, pointed lotus pens, and more lotus flowers were blooming, decorated among the green leaves. The mist condensed into a cluster of glistening water droplets on the lotus leaves. With a gentle breeze, the pearls rolled around on the lotus leaves. Sometimes a few pearls gathered into a big pearl, and the lotus leaf swayed, and the pearls fell into the pond, making a sound like big and small pearls falling on a jade plate.

那弥望的田田的荷叶，碧绿碧绿的，有的浮在水面上，有的出水老高，有的圆圆的，有的尖尖的，有的卷着卷儿。暮春，荷花尚未露面，它已悄悄露出水面；孟夏，小荷崭露头角，它已绿波成云；仲夏，荷花绽放，它默默地为荷花遮风挡雨；季秋，荷已凋零，它仍有的独立、有的比肩、有的连片。

The lotus leaves, so many and so green, float on the surface of the water, some are high above the water, some are round, some are pointed, and some are rolled up. In late spring, the lotus has not yet appeared, but it has quietly emerged from the water; in midsummer, the small lotus has made its debut, and it has turned green waves into clouds; in mid-summer, the lotus blooms, and it silently shields the lotus from the wind and rain; in late autumn, the lotus has withered, but it is still standing alone, side by side, or in clusters.

荷花的花瓣，洁白如玉，托护着深绿色的莲蓬，莲蓬向上的一面小孔密布，聚集着许多莲子宝宝，取其谐音有连子的意思，寓意连生贵子，多子多孙。莲蓬与荷花一样，都有“出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖。”的圣洁之意，自古就有观音坐莲的描述，莲座是荷花与莲蓬的结合，荷花清净且优雅，而莲蓬则质朴厚重，常用作食用或治疗作用。

The petals of the lotus flower are as white as jade, supporting the deep green lotus head. The lotus head has a dense network of small holes on the side facing upwards, where many lotus seeds are gathered. The name "lian zi" is derived from this, symbolizing the wish of having many sons and grandsons. Like the lotus flower, the lotus head has the purity and sanctity of "not being stained by the mud, and not being corrupted by the clear water." Since ancient times, there have been descriptions of Guanyin sitting on a lotus pedestal. The lotus pedestal is a combination of the lotus flower and the lotus head. The lotus flower is pure and elegant, while the lotus head is simple and heavy, often used for food or medicinal purposes.

人们常说"人非草木，孰能无情？"其实，草木有情有灵，是有生命气息和性子的。草木有喜有怒，有醒有眠。花儿在微微的阳光下绽放，枝叶在轻风中摇曳生姿，是草木的欢喜之状；花儿娇媚灵动、光华溢目，枝叶精神抖擞，是草木醒来的模样。这一份与自然的深情，让人清心去俗，尘念皆消。

People often say, "People are not plants and trees, who can be heartless?" In fact, plants and trees have feelings and spirits, and they have life breath and temperament. Plants and trees have joy and anger, wakefulness and sleep. The flowers bloom in the gentle sunlight, and the leaves sway gracefully in the light breeze, which is the happy state of plants and trees; the flowers are delicate and lively, and the leaves are full of vitality, which is the wakefulness of plants and trees. This deep affection for nature makes people clear-minded and free from worldly thoughts.

江南可采莲，莲叶何田田。中有双鲤鱼，相戏碧波间。鱼戏莲叶东，鱼戏莲叶南。采莲女驾着轻捷的小船，在茂密的荷叶丛中往来穿梭。莲叶浮出水面，挨挨挤挤，重重叠叠，迎风招展。在茂密如盖的荷叶下面，欢快的鱼儿在不停的嬉戏玩耍。一会儿在这儿，一会儿又忽然游到了那儿。

In Jiangnan, you can pick lotus; the lotus leaves are so tall. There are two carp in the middle, playing among the waves. The carp play on the east side of the lotus leaves, and the carp play on the south side of the lotus leaves. The lotus leaves rise above the water, tightly packed and layered, waving in the wind. Under the dense leaves like a canopy, the happy fish play and swim incessantly. Sometimes they are here, and sometimes they suddenly swim to there.

荷叶罗裙一色裁，芙蓉向脸两边开。乱入池中看不见，闻歌始觉有人来。采莲少女们夹杂在田田荷叶、艳艳荷花丛中，若隐若现。少女的绿罗裙与田田荷叶穿梭舞动，几乎分不清孰为荷叶，孰为罗裙；少女的脸庞则与荷花相互照映，难分难辨，少女如荷花仙子，沉入荷池中不见了踪影。

The lotus leaves and lotus robes are cut in the same color, and the lotus flowers bloom on both sides of the face. They are scattered in the pool and can't be seen. Only when I hear the song do I realize that someone has come. The young girls picking lotus flowers are mixed among the lotus leaves and lotus flowers, appearing and disappearing. The green lotus robe of the young girl dances with the lotus leaves, and it is almost impossible to tell which is the lotus leaf and which is the lotus robe. The young girl's face reflects the lotus flowers, making it difficult to distinguish between them. The young girl is like a fairy of lotus flowers, sinking into the lotus pool and disappearing.

说望京妹妹是现实版的荷花仙子一点不为过。她是兰溪市爱心女人协会会长，也是兰溪市爱心女人东方华服旗袍协会会长。2018年被授于东方华服旗袍文化传播大使称号，2019年被授予“梅雅奖”全国优秀会长称号。她带领着兰溪市爱心姐妹们，一边训练着优雅妙曼的形体，一边热心着公益慈善事业。

It is not an exaggeration to say that Wangjing Sister is the real-life version of the lotus fairy. She is the president of the Lanxi City Women's Love Association and the president of the Lanxi City Oriental Clothing Cheongsam Association. In 2018, she was awarded the title of Cultural Ambassador of the Oriental Clothing Cheongsam Culture, and in 2019, she was awarded the title of "Meiya Award" National Excellent President. She leads the Lanxi City women's love sisters, training elegant and graceful bodies while being enthusiastic about public welfare and charity.

但凡灵魂相似，有幸相逢就是永恒。不经意间的一场偶遇，一见惊心，甚至惊艳，这就是缘。与望京妹妹的这份情和缘，就如此这般奇妙，一见如故，就似我们已相识半个世纪一般。面对着一池荷花，一缕清风，我们取出杯和茶，荷花见证，清风见证，举起手中的杯，四目相对，深情绵绵。

As long as the souls are similar, meeting by chance is eternal. An accidental encounter that catches the eye, even stunning, is fate. This kind of love and fate with my sister in Wangjing is so wonderful, as if we have known each other for half a century. In front of a pond of lotus flowers, with a breath of fresh air, we take out cups and tea, the lotus flowers witness, the fresh air witness, raise the cup in hand, and gaze at each other with deep affection.

细观荷花，一朵荷花的香不仅来自花瓣、花蕊、花茎甚至花根，而是香遍整株花。我们细观仁者，他们的品格品行，善心善行，为人处事，无时无刻都闪发着馨香和光芒。我们观花，是为了让自己的心，也开出最美的花儿来。我们观仁者，是为了让我们心中最美的花儿，也闪发出馨香和光芒来。

Observe the lotus carefully, the fragrance of a lotus flower comes not only from the petals, stamens, stems, and even roots, but from the entire plant. We observe the benevolent, their character, conduct, kindness, and good deeds, which shine with fragrance and light at all times. We observe the flowers to make our own hearts bloom into the most beautiful flowers. We observe the benevolent to make the most beautiful flowers in our hearts shine with fragrance and light.

以感恩恭敬之心看天地，天地是微笑的。无论是春风拂面还是烈日当空，无论是细雨绵绵还是狂风暴雨，都会觉得是天地对你的恩惠。以感恩恭敬之心看荷花，荷花是微笑的。无论是孟夏尖尖的初荷，还是仲夏绽放的夏荷，无论是深秋变色的秋荷，还是冬日凋谢的残荷，都会觉得是荷花对你的恩惠。

Look at the heaven and earth with a grateful and respectful heart, and the heaven and earth will smile. Whether it is a gentle spring breeze or a scorching sun, whether it is a light drizzle or a fierce storm, you will feel that it is a favor from the heaven and earth. Look at the lotus with a grateful and respectful heart, the lotus will smile. Whether it is the first lotus in early summer, the summer lotus in mid-summer, the autumn lotus in late autumn, or the withered lotus in winter, you will feel that it is the lotus's favor to you.

佛曰：“一花一天堂，一草一世界；一树一菩提，一土一如来；一方一净土，一笑一尘缘；一念一清静，心是莲花开。”这句禅语蕴涵着深刻的哲理。给心灵一方净土，留一块清静自修的圣地，才能心如莲花，缓缓盛开，达到至真至善至美的境界。 ­

Buddha said, "One flower is a heaven, one grass is a world; one tree is a bodhi tree, one earth is a Buddha; one side is a pure land, one smile is a worldly attachment; one thought is a state of tranquility, and the mind is like a lotus blooming." This Zen saying contains profound philosophy. Only by giving the mind a pure land and leaving a holy place for self-cultivation can the mind bloom slowly like a lotus and reach the realm of truth, goodness, and beauty.

编辑：倪捷儿 文字：倪捷儿 出镜人：倪捷儿 陈望京 摄影：千喜 化妆：晨雪 拍摄地点：建徳里叶村十里荷塘

Editor: Ni Jie'er, Writer: Ni Jie'er, Presenter: Ni Jie'er, Chen Wangjing, Photographer: Qianxi, Makeup: Chenxue, Location: Jian De Li Ye Village, Shi Li He Tang