Travel
some 27 kilometers south of Dali and you will come to a popular beauty
spot known locally as the "Butterfly Spring". Situated at the
foot of Mount Shenmo, the first of the peaks of Mount Cangshan the spring
rises to form a square shaped pool that is shaded by the dense foliage
that lines its banks. The pool is some 50 square meters overall and above
it is an ancient decumbent tree. This is the famous "Butterfly Tree",
so called as in the short interval as spring turns to summer, its fragrant
blossom attracts thousands of butterflies. These small multi-colored creatures
fly around the pool and settle on the tree in great clusters as they sip
the nectar from its blooms. The vast numbers of butterflies are hardly
distinguishable from the flowers as the whole tree pulsates with every
color of the rainbow. This spectacular sight has given rise to a local
festival when the Bai people gather at the tree on April 15th for the
"Butterfly Meet". The romantic spectacle of the butterflies
as they feed and mate in such abundance has become a symbol of courtship
and each Bai youth will seek to engage with the love of his life by joining
in with the traditional antiphonal singing. The Bai also refer to the
spring as the "Allegiance Spring" as it is here that true and
lasting love may be found.
Note: You can reach the Butterfly Spring by special cars that run from
the bus stations and hotels in the city. The spring is quite near to Zhou
Town, which is the largest of the Bai communities and was once the imperial
garden of the Dali .Kingdom. Here too you can learn more of the Bai culture
and visit some truly wonderful ancient buildings.
Admission Fee: RMB 32
Recommended Time for a Visit: One hour