[Photo by Xu Weigeng]

Lotus picking is a custom on the Dragon Boat Festival in Anhai Town, Jinjiang, Fujian. It rose to popularity during the early Qing Dynasty (1648-1911) and evolved into a combination of festival celebration and Chinese nation’s worship of Loong.

On the early morning of that day, a mud or wood sculpture of the head of?a dragon?is displayed for people to worship. After the noon, people set off for the parade and toward lotus picking, during which a song, "picking lotus", is sung. It is a duet by a male and a female singer, extolling the twelve months.

The phrase "suōluolián" is harmoniously repeated throughout the beautiful song, which is why "picking lotus" is also called "suōluolián".