Travel diary of China

I stepped into Wuyuzhou Resort in Wuyuan, Jiangxi, as the sun dipped below the horizon—and instantly felt like I’d wandered into a Tang Dynasty poem come alive.

The air smelled of osmanthus and lake water as I crossed a carved stone bridge, its golden lanterns painting ripples of light on the surface. Up ahead, the Bao Yu Pagoda blazed with warm amber light, while a cascade of water spilled down its side like liquid silk. By the shore, crowds huddled, phones raised—we were all waiting for the fireworks.

Then it happened: bursts of silver exploded above the pagoda, streaking the night sky like scattered starlight. For a moment, the glowing towers, the misty lake, and the crackling blooms blurred into one—exactly what Tang poets meant when they wrote of “palaces in the sky.”

After the show, I wandered Huishi Street, where red lanterns hung from white-walled Huizhou-style shops. A vendor handed me a cup of sweet rice wine, and I leaned against a stone railing, watching boats glide past the Jin Pavilion (its blue neon lights making it look like a floating jewel).

Wuyuzhou isn’t just a resort—it’s a reminder that the “dreamlike rivers and skies” of ancient poetry aren’t just metaphors. By the time I left, my camera roll was full, and my chest felt light, like I’d carried a piece of that starlit night home with me.