Although not as famous as neighboring Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Phoenix Old Town, Changde is believed to be the prototype of Taohuayuan, a utopia described by poet Tao Yuanming (around AD 365-427).

The poem describes how a fisherman accidentally sailed into a river in a forest of blossoming peach trees, where there was a village with animals and people of all ages.

The villagers were surprised to see him. They told him their ancestors escaped to this place during the civil unrest and the villagers had no contact with the outside world for centuries.

Upon leaving, the fisherman was told not to reveal this experience to others because it was not worthwhile. Still he decided to mark his route on his way out with signs and later divulged the existence of this idyllic haven to others. Many have tried to locate it repeatedly but in vain.

Situated in the north of Hunan province, Changde possesses traces of the literary haven, especially in terms of scenery.

The remains from Neolithic period provide convincing evidence that there were fishermen in the area as early as 5,000 years ago.

In the mornings, the area's undulating mountains are capped with a thick layer of clouds.

In spring, the natural landscape is covered with peach blossom, just as the name "Taohuayuan" - meaning peach blossom land - indicates.

Among the sea of flowers, Changde is filled with a unique species - pink and white peach blossoms on a same branch.

Besides the pink petals, there is also a green wonder. A bamboo forest stands proud behind a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) pavilion. From afar, the bamboo looks no different from any other, but at a closer look, one will notice that the bamboo is shaped in tetragonal prism with four clear corners.

Since the peach blossom has always been associated with beautiful love in traditional Chinese culture, Taohuayuan is a favorite destination among love birds. Every spring, a group wedding is held during the peak of the peach blossom season.

And as the symbol of a happy marriage, the wedding bed used to be a big deal in the old days.

A privately owned museum in the scenic area features 100 exquisite wood-carved beds, which have been passed down from the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Although similar in shapes, these beds were specially designed and tailor-made to suit the needs of various families, reflecting the family's authentic taste and economic condition.

For example, the one displayed in the center of the hall belonged to a Li family. Made in the Qing Dynasty, the bed is composed of 150 carved boards with 102 figurines and 100 flower-and-bird patterns.

It was said to have taken 20 craftsmen three years to complete the masterpiece.

The museum's owner spent three years to collect all the components of the bed, which were scattered everywhere, and took half a month to re-assemble them into the original look. It is so exquisite that it is said that almost every visitor gasps in admiration in front of the rare treasure.

Apart from the sceneries and antiques, Changde's legendary love stories are equally spellbinding.

Among the best-known touching stories is a fairy tale that has been around for more than 1,500 years.

It is about the love between woodman Liu Hai and the girl of his heart, Hu Xiuying, who was beautiful and kind-hearted but was actually a fairy fox.

The love story has been made into a TV series and an actual village was built for the shooting, which has become a scenic spot.

At the village, tourists can go fishing, pick fruits and drink the local Lei tea, cooked with ginger and rice milk.

zhangzixuan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/09/2013 page19)