Situated at the foot of Yunlong Peak of the Cangshan Mountain 27 km south of the Dali Ancient City the Butterfly fountain covers an area of 50 square meters Clear water gushes up from the bottom of the  square pond. A tall old tree stands high beside the fountain with large boughs and luxuriant foliage covering the pond. It is known as the "Butterfly Tree". Every 15th of April when spring is changing into summer a fragrant smell from the tree will attract different types of butterflies which come and dance after another and form a long string hanging down from the tree to the surface of water. This spectacle dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Xu Xiake a famous traveler at that time had a account of the scene. The Chinese inscription "Hu Die Quan (Butterfly Fountain)" was written by Guo Moruo when he visited the site in 1961.
In recent years Butterfly Fountain Park has undergone renovation and extension and the butterfly Tower the Hexagonal Pavilion the Crescent Pool the Butterfly Museum the Tower Overlooking the Lake and the statue of Xu xiake have been built. |
