Vast tracts of lotus flowers attract visitors to township in E China's Anhui

Blooming lotus flowers in a lotus pond in Taoxin township, Wanzhi district, Wuhu city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

With more than 20,000 mu (1,333.33 hectares) of blooming lotus flowers of over 500 varieties, Taoxin township in Wuhu city, east China's Anhui Province, is at its most beautiful time of the year.

The township, located in Wuhu city’s Wanzhi district, has a long history of growing lotus. It boasts of a well-preserved ancient water system with 10 vertical watercourses and the same number of horizontal watercourses, a stunning spectacle in low-lying fields surrounded with dikes south of the Yangtze River in China.

In recent years, Taoxin township has established a lotus industry chain covering the growing, viewing, processing, and sale of lotus-related products, increasing the annual output value of the lotus industry to 400 million yuan ($55.8 million).

The township receives more than 1 million visitors a year.