On a morning in early autumn, my dream came true. I had waited for this moment a long time; and perhaps because of this, I rushed into the small town as soon as I arrived. The Tuojiang River was covered in mist, and the houses on stilts rose out of the water. White fog shrouded the brown wooden pillars that supported these houses, making them look as if they were floating. A child's cry came from an open window on the opposite side of the river. The cry was like a thin but firm thread, faint but persistent.

Alone, I aimlessly rambled through the lanes of the ancient town. The lanes seemed endless, curving round and round, forming an invisible but attractive swirl. As you walk around town, you can hardly feel the passage of time. Before you know it, time has softly and quietly glided past.

All these lanes radiate from the Rainbow Bridge located at the center of town. A typical covered bridge, the Rainbow Bridge has a bright-yellow body. Year after year, the Tuojiang River flows under the bridge as it transports visitors back to the last century, to Shen Congwen's time. On both sides of the bridge there are houses built on stilts, special architectural structures particular to western Hunan Province. At dusk, sitting in the small teahouse on the Rainbow Bridge one can see these houses light up, one by one.

I walked among a stream of people composed of women carrying baskets on their backs, men leading a cow, photographers shouldering tripods, and porters looking for business. They were quite different from one another, but they walked toward the same direction and at the same pace. They even had the same expression on their faces.

Occasionally, I would step into a roadside shop to have a look at the items hung up on the walls, such as a batik painting coated with a thin layer of dust and handmade embroidery that had lost its color. I would also have a look at the bulky bracelets and shiny, silver rings placed in the counters. Other passersby couldn't resist entering the shops either. They looked and touched the items on sale. If they found something they liked, they would bargain with the shopkeepers.

These used goods are invaluable in the eyes of shopkeepers who collect and sell them in the ancient town. The owners of these shops have been neighbors for years. They joke with one another and profess the good quality of their goods to wealthy looking tourists everyday. They are the ones who keep the happy laughter on the town's streets.

When noon drew near, the small town was bustling. At this time, the openness and accepting nature of the local people became apparent. In this town, the traditional coexists with the modern: local tobacco pipes with decorative braids coexist with mobile phones; foreigners walk alongside Miao women who have their hair wrapped in long cloths; and hardworking women carve decorations on window frames while enjoying pop music.

Suddenly, I fell into confusion. "Who am I?" I asked myself. "San San in the Yang's Mill or the old soldier who guards the ferry all year long? " (Both of them are characters in Shen Congwen's novels.) Then, I smiled. I felt like a happy town resident returning from a long journey. I was really an outsider, but I knew I belonged here. I felt the warmness and peace of home.

When night fell, red lanterns were lit along the river. Local women were still washing clothes by the water's edge. They beat the clothes with sticks, and the sound made me recall my childhood. Bao, a warmhearted, old man from a hotel called Home on the Tuojiang River, enthusiastically invited me to go boating on the river. "I was once one of the best boatmen in town," Bao said proudly, holding his head up high. In the deep dark, we were the only two traveling on the river. Our boat passed in between the red lanterns, and our oars broke the reflection of the moon on the water. Sitting at the fore of the boat against the night wind, I felt a little lonely but joyful as I looked at the picturesque night scenery.

Soon after passing a dam, we went ashore. We arrived at Tingtao Mountain where Shen Congwen's tomb is located. With the aid of my headlight, I found the stone tablet inscribed with the epitaph Shen had composed: "Thinking in my way, you can understand me. And thinking in my way, you can understand others." I picked two wild flowers and put them in front of the tablet.

I suddenly felt like walking alone in the dark, so I let Bao go home first. In the moonlight, walking along a riverside lane, I heard my footsteps resound. Living in a metropolis, to experience such quietness was rare for me. The sweet singing of a Miao girl broke the quiet. She was singing a popular, local song called The Drunken Phoenix. Was the phoenix drunk? I didn't know, but I knew I was drunk with pleasure to be in such a place.

Travel Guide:

1. Traffic:

(1) Travelers arrive first in Jishou, Hunan, by train, and then go to Fenghuang by bus.

(2) Travelers can also travel by air to the Daxing Airport in Tongren, Guizhou, and then go to Fenghuang by bus.

2. Tourist attractions:

(1) Besides the Fenghuang Ancient Town, Fenghuang County is also famous for its Huangsiqiao Ancient Town, its Ancient Great Wall in the South, and its Qiliang Cave. Tourists can take a bus from the County Long-Distance Bus Station to all these scenic spots. The bus ticket is priced at three yuan.

(2) Fenghuang County is a place inhabited by national minorities such as the Miao and Tujian, so it features strong ethnic charm. Tourists can enjoy the Miao customs by visiting the Shanjiang Miao Village. If you are lucky, you may have a chance to experience the Miao's local fair in Alaying.

3. Accommodation and food:

(1) Tourists are recommended to stay in the houses on stilts along the riverside. A night stay costs 20 to 30 yuan per person. The hotel Home on the Tuojiang River is the best choice. If you mention China Pictorial, maybe the hotelkeeper will take you on a boat ride to appreciate the moon. Bao can entertain you by singing folk songs.

(2) Fenghuang has many local snacks, of which the sugarcoated ginger is a must for tourists. There is a snack store beside Shen Congwen's former residence. The sugarcoated ginger this store offers is the best of its kind, so it is sold at a higher price. Another local delicacy is meat fried with mushrooms.

(China Pictorial December 12, 2002)