Crafting lotus-scented tea, a centuries-old specialty of Quang An Ward in Tay Ho District, is a delicate ritual steeped in taboo.

“The tea absorbs everything,” said Bui Minh Hang, president of the Quang An Huong Thuy Lotus Tea Cooperative.

“Even the faintest smell can ruin its fragrance.”

At a Sunday tea festival hosted by the cooperative, visitors admired lotus blossoms and tried their hand at tea-making.

But not everyone is allowed near the production area.

Strong perfumes or heavy makeup? Kindly step away.

Women during menstruation or anyone returning from a funeral? Strictly forbidden.

“The lotus flower is pure, and the process must be just as clean,” Hang explained.

“That’s why our artisans often follow strict diets — boiled food only, no garlic or durian.”

Ancient skill, modern hands

West Lake’s early-morning mist is when the magic begins.

Local women paddle wooden boats through lotus ponds, handpicking half-opened blossoms.

Back at the workshop, petals are separated by size and purpose: large ones for wrapping, smaller ones for scenting.

The most prized element is the aromatic pollen grain from lotus stamens, painstakingly extracted by skilled artisans.

“Only experienced hands can do it quickly and gently enough not to damage the flower,” said Hang.

Once prepared, green tea is blended with the pollen grain, sealed overnight, then stuffed into fresh lotus blooms, tied tightly, and submerged in water for several hours to absorb the full aroma.

In the final step, the flowers are wrapped in lotus leaves, vacuum-sealed, and either frozen or freeze-dried to preserve both flavor and beauty — ensuring the tea can be transported far and wide.

A fragile future

But preserving this heritage is becoming harder.

“The lake is shrinking and more polluted,” said Tran Thu Thuy, director of the Quang An Huong Thuy Lotus Tea Cooperative.

“The flowers suffer, and so does the tea.”

Artisans also worry about the loss of traditional knowledge.

“To dry the tea properly, you need someone who inherited the craft — not just a technician,” Thuy said.

Despite challenges, the passion remains.

In Quang An, young students join retirees in summer to help with packaging and learn the craft.

For them, it is more than tea. It is culture — poured, petal by petal, into every cup.