AN ADVENTURE IN THE LAND OF PEACH FLOWERS
In the reign of the Emperor Tai Yuan of the Ching Dynasty,there lived in the city of Wuling a fisherman. Once he happened to sail on a small river.He sailed on and on,unconscious of the distance the boat had pushed,until he saw all at once a grove of peachtrees.He found that the trees all grew by the banks of the river for several hundred paces,and excepthing these no trees of other kinds existed in the land.He saw also fragrant grass and beautiful flowers on the ground.
The fisherman,being very much amazed,went forward;for he wanted to get through the grove to see some strange sight.When he reached the source of the river,the grove disappeared,but a mountain came into view.The mountain had a samll cave out of which light seemed to come.The fisherman therefore landed and went info the cave which was so narrow that only one person could pass.Yet he walked on for several dozen steps,and then he saw a strange land.The land was level and broad;the houses and cottages were graceful;the fields were fertile and the pools well-built.The fisherman saw also mulberry trees,bamboos,etc.Paths were seen on the farms;the cock was heard crowing and the dog barking.The people,whowalked along the road,or ploughed in the fields ,have their dress and action just like those of the outside world.All people-old and young-had happy hearts.
When they saw the fisherman they were astonished and asked the fisher-man where he came from,to which question the fisherman answered fully;and,being satisfied with the story,they invited him to their homes,where the fisher-man was served with wine and chicken.His coming to the land was known by all the villagers,who instantly walked to the stranger and asked him many questions.They said their fore-fathers brought their families and neighbours to the land in order to avoid the great disorder of the Chin Dynasty and since then they had never gone out and communicated with the outsiders.They wished to know the name of the dynasty which they were then in;for they had no knowledge of the dynasties of the Han,Wei and Ching.The fisherman told them many great historical events and they all expressed their deepest sorrow.When he had been honoured with invitations to dinner for several day,he made his to take leave.Upon his departure the villagers beseeched him to keep secret of what he had seen.
When he came out,he got his boat.He went on his way and marked every place prudently.When he reached the city,he went to see the mayor and re-ported his adventure.The mayor sent out officer to follow him.He tried to find the marks he had made,but he lost his way wnd was unable to reach the new land with the mayor's man.
Liu Tse Chi,a virtuous scholar of Nanyang City,haerd this,and wished to find the strange place by himself.But somehow he failed to carry out his wish;and he died shortly afterwards of a certain disease.Then no one has ever tried to grt the land.
