A Chronicle of Pear Blossoms in Yuanhua: Wild Ducks Frolicking in Spring

Morning Mist Clears as Flowers Bloom At 6:30 AM, the navigation shows we're 5 km away from the Shenxian Lake Scenic Area in Yuanhua Town, Haining. Through the car window, white petals drift by - not fallen flowers, but pear blossoms lost in the morning mist. Rounding the final bend, a cascade of white snow-like blossoms suddenly fills our view: the century-old pear orchard stretches for 10 kilometers, with both old trees and new branches adorned with pristine flowers. When the wind blows, the entire valley seems to experience a fragrant snowfall. Three Flowers in Full Bloom, Each Showing Their Charm Climbing the bluestone steps, we first encounter vibrant fields of rapeseed flowers. Amid the rolling golden waves, children in hanfu run with pinwheels, peach blossoms tucked in their hair. Beyond the flower fields, peach groves spread like crimson clouds across the sky. Farmers set up tea stalls beneath the trees, where Biluochun tea steams in rough pottery bowls, reflecting the brilliant blossoms above. The pear orchard's grandeur becomes apparent when looking up: where gnarled branches stretch, thousands of white silk-like blooms form cloud-like towers, and where the canopies meet, they create a natural dome, with sunlight filtering through like scattered gold, casting moving patterns on the ground. Spring Wildlife at Shenxian Lake Shenxian Lake lies like a jade jewel among the mountains, with wild ducks floating on its surface. They alternate between dipping their heads to feed and taking flight in pursuit of one another, splashing water droplets that sparkle like silver in the sunlight. From the fresh green reeds along the shore, startled ducks take flight, their wings brushing the water's surface, leaving ripples in their wake. Several elderly anglers sit in folding chairs, their baskets already containing several mandarin fish - "Perfect for soup at the local restaurant, so fresh!" A Stage for Youth Among the Blossoms Past the bamboo grove, melodious flute music fills the air. An outdoor stage has been set up on the grass, where students in navy blue uniforms are rehearsing. As the drums begin, dancers in red and green costumes twirl out from beneath the flower shade, their water sleeves tracing the curves of "Wild Geese," accompanied by the harmony of bamboo flutes and pipa, blending the spring winds of the grasslands with the misty rain of Jiangnan. Most delightful is the children's opera performance: a little girl in pink opera costume sings "Pear Blossom Song" on tiptoe, her young voice carrying traces of the Cheng school's plaintive, melodious style. A Street of Spring Flavors The flavor street at Shenxian Lake's entrance is already filled with cooking smoke. Under blue-printed cloth awnings, grandmothers lift steamer lids, revealing steaming Dingsheng cakes with red "Yuanhua" stamps. Biting into a begonia cake reveals a crispy shell with sweet bean paste filling, its sweetness wrapped in natural freshness. At the corner, children crowd around a stall making fresh pear candy, where the master boils pear juice to amber color, pours it into carved wooden molds, producing candy pieces clearly showing the characters "Watch Pear Blossoms in Yuanhua." As dusk falls, lanterns light up the lakeside market. Girls in hanfu brew tea beneath the flowers, with Biluochun tea steaming in rough pottery bowls. In the pear wood carving workshop, young artisans capture spring in wood. With a pear wood hairpin in your hair, you might chance upon newlyweds taking wedding photos under century-old pear trees, where white veils dance with falling petals in a romance that spans a thousand years. Postscript: Spring in Yuanhua is Jiangnan's poem to the world. While spring still tentatively tests the branches in the city, here pear blossoms already blanket the hills, telling their spring story. Before the flowering season ends, why not spend a day as a leisure seeker by Shenxian Lake? Let the flower fragrance speak of elegance for you, and let your camera capture this grand spring elopement.