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Image

Description

In this horizontal color photograph, a concrete bridge with a dark green, X-shaped lattice railing spans across the center of the frame. A person wearing a pink long-sleeved shirt and a traditional light-brown conical hat is riding a bicycle from left to right across the bridge. Below the bridge, a dense pond is filled with large, circular green lotus leaves and occasional white lotus flowers. Three thick, dark concrete pillars support the bridge, disappearing into the foliage below. In the background, beyond the bridge, a grassy field leads to a line of distant, out-of-focus green trees and foliage. The lighting is bright and natural, coming from above, creating a clear and detailed view of the textures of the leaves and the structural details of the bridge.

Details

Title
Lotus pond in Old Hue, Thua Thien-Hue Province
Creator
Clifford, Geoffrey, Photographer
Balaban, John, 1943-, Collaborator
Variant Title
Rising out of muck and muddy water, the lotus produces an immaculate flower reaching towards heaven. In Buddhism, the lotus is a symbol for self-perfection.
Published
1987
Full Collection Name
Vietnam: Journey of the Heart 1985-2000
Other Identifiers
BANC PIC 2007.056:5
Geographic Coverage
Vietnam. Pictorial works.
Vietnam--Social life and customs. Pictorial works
Type
Image
Extent
1 photographic print (framed); ca. 24 x 36 inches (unframed)
Other Physical Details
Color photograph
Archive
The Bancroft Library
Note
Caption text by John Balaban
Part of: Vietnam: Journey of the heart
C-print
Provenance
Originally donated to the South/Southeast Asia Library, and transferred to The Bancroft Library.
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Linked Resources
View collection guide
Collection
Source of Description
Image description generated by AI (Gemini 3.0 Fast) and reviewed, January 2026 .

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