THE LAND OF PEACH BLOOM }2l 



tunnel, and left the Yamen with an officer and a train of 

 Yamen-runners who followed out of mere curiosity. 



When they came to the bank of the stream where the 

 boat had been left, the fisherman said the opening was at the 

 foot of the hill directly opposite to where they stood, though, 

 strange to relate, no light could be seen. The party then 

 advanced to the place indicated, but in spite of a most care- 

 ful search, no opening of any sort could be found. They 

 scoured the hillside for miles in both directions without 

 discovering as much as a rabbit hole. The tunnel had dis- 

 appeared completely and mysteriously, without leaving the 

 least trace anywhere of its former existence. Then they climb- 

 ed the hills to look over the other side; they saw nothing but 

 a vast barren waste stretching its dreary expanse as far away 

 as the eye could see. The land of Peach Bloom had 

 vanished, — vanished forever like a vision in a golden dream 

 to nobody knows where. 



The fisherman now saw how foolish he had been not to 

 remain with the Immortals when he had the chance to. He 

 also now understood the full meaning of the Elder's caution 

 about not missing the way when he was ready to return. 

 It was his desire to return to his petty earthly affairs that 

 lost him paradise. 



Some years later, a distinguished scholar and Con- 

 fucianist named Li Tzu-chi went to the hills of Ch'ang-te Fu 

 hoping to find the way to the wonderful land of Peach Bloom. 

 He lived in their vicinity for many years till he died ; but he 

 never found the tunnel, and never once did he see the light 

 on the hillside. Since his death the search has been aban- 

 doned. Wise men say to-day that the land of Peach Bloom 

 lies in another sphere "far beyond this world, and surely they 

 are right. 



