There are many beautiful legends about the birth of lotus. Here are two of the most well-known stories.

It is said that the Queen Mother of the West had a beautiful maid called Yuji. Yuji was very envious when she saw loving couples in the world, men farming and women weaving. Therefore, she was touched and secretly escaped heavenly palace accompanied by the daughter of the river god and came to the West Lake in Hangzhou.

The beautiful scenery of the West Lake made Yuji linger and forget to return. She was enjoying herself in the lake and was reluctant to leave at dawn. The Queen Mother of the West found out about it, so she punished Yuji "drive into the mud and can never be back to heaven again". From then on, the heavenly palace missed one beautiful maid, but a jade-like beautiful flower was born in the world.

Another legend is like this. In ancient times, there was a peerless beauty named Xi Shi. This year, the state of Yue, Xi Shi's country, was defeated by the state of Wu. The king of Yue sent people to search for beautiful women everywhere and prepared to give them to the king of Wu to distract his fighting spirit. Xi Shi was chosen by one in ten thousand. The king of Wu was surprised by the beauty of Xi Shi. He ate, drank, and had fun with Xi Shi all day. Regardless of national affairs, the state of Wu became weaker and weaker, and was finally defeated by the state of Yue. The captured king of Wu was so regretful that he pulled out his sword and committed suicide.

The king of Yue took Xi Shi back to the state of Yue, but the queen was very jealous of Xi Shi's beauty. She caught Xi Shi by the river, tied a boulder on her and sank her to the bottom of the river. People refused to believe that Xi Shi has died. It is said that she became a lotus God and lived on an island ever since. Every year, she can be seen among the girls who picking Lotus by the lake.