10-mile Plum Grove

10-mile Plum Grove

Zhong Yuyan was on the way back to his hometown. One day, he went past Mei Pass of Dayu Mountains and stayed at the house of a “juren”. Zhong Yuyan was persuaded by the “juren” to stay for a few more days. They had good time writing poems. Zhong Yuyan found blossoming plum trees all over the mountain and got fascinated by the sights. The “juren” asked servants to dig young plum trees and offered them to Yuyan. Yuyan felt so delighted that he offered 100 liang of silver in return, but the latter refused. Then Yuyan gave him books and paintings. After Yuyan arrived in Luogang with young plum trees, he planted them carefully and encouraged villagers to grow together. As locals had bumper harvest of plums, they grew more plum trees, and then it formed the “10-mile Plum Grove”. Every year, plum trees burst into blossom around Winter Solstice Festival everywhere, snow-white and scented. When a breeze blows, blossoms are like fluttering snowflakes. So it is known as the “Snowy Plum Blossoms in Luogang”.