The blooming of the pink flowers in the countryside gives the first hint that spring is coming.

Spring begins with the blooming of the peachblossoms and the arrival of the Peachblossom Festival in Nanhui District.

Numerous petals fell onto the district's Fontainebleau villa from a helicopter last week announcing the start of the two-week festival and the coming of the spring season.

If watched from space, this must have been the most dazzling spot on earth, as it was covered by waves of light pink flowers.

The pleasing scenery refreshes those of us who dwell in concrete jungles all year, but to villagers the peachblossom is an ordinary flower.

Several peach trees grow in front of every countryside cottage, surrounding inhabitants with the golden rape-flowers.

Sitting in a car while quickly driving passed fields, one's visual senses are overwhelmed by the vivid colours. Bright flowers, green plants and the gentle, warm flow of the air, rouse people out of the dull winter blues.

Peachblossom Garden

Locals recommend two places to appreciate peachblossoms - Lu Chao Gang in southeast Nanhui, and the Chengbei Peach Folk Village in the central Huinan Town.

We went to Lu Chao Gang.

Garden is a misleading label for this place, as the local people have merely accentuated the natural beauty. The only sign of human interference is in the form of narrow wooden bridges and pavilions, where tickets cost 20 to 30 yuan ($3.6).

You can either walk or take a small boat along a creek, which passes through the peachblossoms.

The flowers are in bloom for about two weeks, as long as no heavy rains come to rush them along.

Sparse fog seems to rise in the distance from the pink sea, as you watch the field from a straw pavilion put up in the centre of the garden.

Walking along the ridges of the field, you must come close to the peachblossoms to sense their delicate fragrance.

Xinchang Town

We chose an inconspicuous route recommended by the festival organizers.

It went through an old town - Xinchang Street - reminiscent of the renowned watertown Zhouzhuang. However, this place was much more tranquil as it has yet to be transformed into a commercial tourism spot. The buildings and the people have retained their simplicity.

The ropey wooden houses by the creek, furbished stone bridges where original carvings were hard to discern, and the bark-like wrinkles on the face of the 98-year-old women distinguished this unknown watertown.

Besides, problems with a chemical spill in the 1980s, villagers in the town have preserved an assortment of traditional habits. Every day from noon through afternoon, the aged gather on the second floor of a shabby wooden hut to hear pingtan - storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect.

We watched as shells of peanuts tumbled to the ground, and a man poured tea into porcelain enamel cups, which had long lost their white surface enamel.

A tricycle costing 4 yuan took us around the area, to the two 600-year-old maidenhair tree, then on to the 700-year temple, which is presently being rebuilt.

Maybe several years on, you will be unable to find the original flavour of the street. So, it is recommended you take the opportunity now to enjoy the native beauty before the area becomes a tourist hub.

While there, make sure to visit the town market, where you can buy many kinds of local specialities, such as the sweet melon and fresh"baimixia" (small white shrimps that are abundant in April and May).

Travel tips

Peachblossom is a rosaceous plant with five petals. It blooms during March and April every year. The plant fructifies during the June-to-September season. Some flowers have red, light red and white petals, however most are pink.

The regular No. 2 tour bus departing from Shanghai Stadium every 30 minutes goes out to the county. The ride lasts about one hour.

Tickets to the Lu Chao Gang cost 20 to 30 yuan ($2.4 to 3.6) each and no tickets are needed for Xinchang Street. One day is enough for the trip and the average cost per person is about 200 yuan ($24).

( China Daily March 28, 2002)