爱莲说
宋·周敦颐
水陆草木之花，可爱者甚蕃。晋陶渊明独爱菊。自李唐来，世人甚爱牡丹。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。噫！菊之爱，后鲜有闻。莲之爱，同予者何人？牡丹之爱，宜乎众矣！
《爱莲说》
（宋）周敦颐
水陆草木的花朵，可爱的种类很多。晋代的陶渊明独爱菊花。从唐朝以来，世人都非常喜爱牡丹。而我个人却特别喜欢莲花，它能够生长在淤泥中而不被染污，洗净了清澈的涟漪却不显妖艳，内外通直，不茂盛也不缠绕支枝，香气遥远更加清幽，端庄纯净地生长着，可以远远地观赏，但不能随意玩弄。
我觉得菊花是隐藏在花草中的隐逸者；牡丹则是富贵之花；而莲花，则是君子之花。唉！对于菊花的喜爱，陶渊明之后很少听闻。对于莲花的喜爱，和我一样的人有多少？而牡丹的喜爱，应该是众多人共同的选择！
"Appreciating lotuses"
By Zhou Dunyi, Song Dynasty
There are many beautiful varieties of flowers on land and water. Tao Yuanming of the Jin Dynasty had a special fondness for chrysanthemums. Ever since the Tang Dynasty, peonies have been adored by people. As for me, I have a particular love for lotus flowers. They can grow in muddy ponds without being tainted, their petals remain pure even after washing in clear ripples. Their beauty lies both inside and out, free from excessive growth or entangled branches. Their fragrance is distant yet serene, growing with elegance and purity. We can admire them from a distance but should not handle them casually.
I consider chrysanthemums to be reclusive flowers concealed among plants and flowers, while peonies represent prosperity and wealth. Lotus flowers, on the other hand, embody the traits of a noble person. Alas! The love for chrysanthemums is rarely heard of after Tao Yuanming. How many people, like myself, share an affection for lotus flowers? The admiration for peonies, however, is surely a popular choice among many!
