The Qing dynasty's Li Yu was so poor that it was a problem even to keep a roof over his head. Nevertheless he spared no expense or effort to build a lotus pond, because there is no time when it is not opportune to get pleasure admiring the lotus, and the lotus has no part which is not useful.
清朝曾經窮得安身處所都成問題的李漁，卻不惜工本鑿大池種植荷花，就只因荷花，無一時一刻不適合觀賞，又無一物一絲不能用在家常。