Scenic area revives mythical utopia

The opening ceremony of the festival was held at Qingu Valley, a core scenic area of Taohuayuan, where clear brooks flow among cottages, golden rapeseed flowers cover a vast area of farmland and cattle graze on lush grass.

Each March, the valley transforms into a mass of peach blossoms, their petals coating the ground. In addition to spending time among the flowers, visitors, like the fisherman, will be reluctant to leave after experiencing folk activities such as archery and herding pigs.

To reconstruct the cultural scene described in The Peach Blossom Spring, staff members at the scenic area wear period costumes and showcase the daily lives of Chinese people in ancient times by farming, growing flowers and feeding animals.

On March 31, the first Saturday after the peach blossom festival, the number of tourists to Taohuayuan hit a daily peak of nearly 40,000, including more than 110 groups organized by travel agencies.

"Taohuayuan has become the most attractive scenic spot in Changde," said Cao Lijun, deputy Party chief of Changde.