Twin lotus flowers bloom in Pingyuanchi village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

In Pingyuanchi village, Rugao, another pair of twin lotus flowers came into bloom on Aug 27 in the same pond where the first pair was found on July 28, local media reported.

"The second ones are growing around 10 meters east of the first ones," said Hu Zhiyong, an official of the village.

The lotus, which emerges unsullied from a dirty pond, symbolizes a lofty and pure character. It has long been a beloved flower among Chinese people.

Twin lotus flowers growing on one stalk is a particularly rare sight and cannot be achieved through artificial cultivation. 

According to an old Chinese legend, twin lotus flowers are reincarnations of two lovers who jumped into a lotus pond together because their union was opposed by their families. Thus, twin lotus flowers on one stalk are used to represent the phrase “Till death do us part", symbolizing happiness and goodness in Chinese culture.

"The rare sight has attracted many tourists from Zhejiang, Anhui, Henan, and Shandong provinces," said Yin Zaihong, general manager of the village's tourism development company.

Pingyuanchi is famous for its long history of growing lotus. This year, the village introduced 60 hectares of new lotus species, as well as a lotus seed and leaf processing project.

The village has formed a lotus industrial chain involving sightseeing and the sale of lotus flowers, seeds, seedpods, and tea made of lotus leaves.

Tourism alone has generated more than 1.3 million yuan ($188,370) in revenue and created jobs for over 800 villagers this year.