Many people online say that the only bad thing about Heshun is it's too good to leave. I have travelled many places in China, and though I surfed thousands of beautiful pictures of Heshun on the internet before I arrived here, to be frank, I believed only half of what I'd seen. I am the type that never expects too much so as to avoid disappointment. This time, I am totally wrong.

The moment we got out of the newly built Tengchong airport, we felt the light, soft breeze. Over 70 percent of Tengchong county, where Heshun is located, is lush with greenery. The favorable weather conditions ensure people's wardrobes need only be stocked with light shirts and trousers throughout the four seasons. On the way to Heshun, everywhere we could see flowers and trees. I was really looking forward to seeing the town, where you can listen to the sound of blossoming, get up with the sun, see cows trudging the streets and enjoy an astonishingly quiet night's sleep.

When the car stopped at the gate of Heshun and we gathered our luggage, we were startled by the beauty of the traditional white housing in front of us. Its rich cultural heritage was uplifting to all of us. We were told, different from Zhouzhuang in southern China, Heshun is a living town, and people live here following an original lifestyle.

We rushed to the hostel through alleys. The hostess served us fresh mango and told us she enjoyed her current life very much. Since opening the hostel, she had made many friends, and never allowed her life to become too busy; another main concept of other Heshuners we would come to discover. Once she got a jade bracelet with a small black spot inside. She took the bracelet to a craftsman in the morning to have gold inlay the spot. In the evening, she went there to ask how it was going. While the hostess told us the story, she made us Tieguanyin tea.

In the hostel, we met a family who came to Heshun every year for months; this was the third time this year. The woman had lived abroad for around ten years, she says she seldom visited one place over and over, but Heshun was one place she loved to visit regularly.

I have just set foot on this land. Been here for a few hours. I haven't even moved out of the hostel yet, but I can already feel myself falling for the spirit of the town. Now, as I sit in a bamboo chair writing the diary, two girls are watching a TV program next door, while others chat in the courtyard.

Tomorrow, the host, who is an expert on Heshun culture, will continue to tell us the story of Heshun with people gathered around the table, and we will go on to discuss the wisdom of ancient people with other patrons at the hostel, and more importantly, we will explore the charm of Heshun deeper.

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