This folk song passed along through time indicates that people were long ago familiar with the basic Asian lotus (N. nucifera), which comes in red or white, and is spread across Asia and Oceania. This is the type which is reflected in the Chinese expression that "the red lotus is intoxicating, the white lotus is sweet." There is also a yellow lotus (N. lutea) unique to North America.
原生荷花全世界只有兩種，一種黃色荷花，是北美洲的特有種；一種分佈亞洲、大洋洲，有白色與紅色花系，就是中國人長久來認識的紅蓮沉醉白蓮酣。