Taohuatan

Taohuatan is located approx. 40 km southwest of Jing County.Taohuatan TownIt is famous for Li Bai's poem "Though Taohuatan's water is a thousand feet deep, it's not as deep as Wang Lun's love for me."Taohuatan TownFormerly known as Nanyang town, Taohuatan is actually a section of the Qingyi river. Chen village on the east bank and Wan village on the west bank face each other across the pool. These two ancient Huizhou-style villages may not be exquisite, but they possess a weathered beauty. The old street is paved with irregular cobblestones with mottled walls on both sides. Once you pass through the narrow old street and see the suddenly open, clear pool, it's a delightful surprise.

Tour guide

Since Taohuatan bus station is on the east bank, visitors usually start their tour of Taohuatan from Chen village. The visitor center of the attraction is located 150 m north of the bus station, where you can enter the attraction.

First, you'll see the three-story Taohuatan scenic area's Wenchang Pavilion from the Qing Dynasty. If visiting in March or April, the path is lined with blooming rapeseed flowers. Next, proceed to the No. 1 ancestral hall in China (the Zhai clan ancestral hall). The Zhai family was the predominant last name in the village. This grand three-courtyard hall, originally built during the Ming Dynasty, features precious materials like nanmu wood and white marble, with numerous imperial plaques hanging inside.

Walking along the cobblestone old street, you truly enter Chen village after passing the Nanyang town gate tower, with small shops and antique stores lining the road. At the end of the old street stands the two-story Tage'an pavilion, which can be climbed. The nearby "Mengtanxuan" ancient artifacts exhibition hall displays cultural relics like stone tablets and wood carvings. Passing through the archway of Tage'an pavilion, Taohuatan comes into view, with the reflections of Leiyudun mound and Huaixian pavilion shimmering on the opposite shore. The ancient Dongyuan ferry refers to taking a boat ride across the river, where you can observe the book-like layered rocks beneath Leiyudun during the crossing.

The small hill of lei yu dun is not high, making it easy to climb to the Huaixian Pavilion on top. From the pavilion, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Taohuatan and Chen village. Then, explore Wan village on the west bank, which is more antiquated than Chen village. Only the gate tower near the dock on the west bank of Taohuatan and the Xingyi Gate retain their original charm. Other attractions in Wan village include the Caihong (Rainbow) Bridge, the ruins of the "Wan family tavern" where Wang Lun allegedly invited Li Bai, and the newly built modern tomb of Wang Lun.

Whether visitors are traveling via the Chaji-Taohuatan route or the Taiping Lake-Taohuatan route, it is recommended to return to Taohuatan and stay overnight in the attraction. The evenings and mornings in Taohuatan offer unique charm. In the evening, the Tagan Pavilion is the perfect spot to watch the sunset over Taohuatan to the west. In the morning, the mist over the lake embraces the green mountains and veils the small boats, creating a scene like an ink painting. The chances of seeing morning mist are higher in May and June.

Meals and accommodation at Taohuatan

Don't worry about meals and accommodation at Taohuatan. Local family-run restaurants or inns in the attraction can provide dining options, featuring rural dishes like free-range chicken, river shrimp, and winter bamboo shoots.