The Butterfly Spring

The Butterfly Spring is a symbolic scenic spot of Dali. It is as well the most 
romantic place with Bai ethnic characteristics.

Covering 1,965 Mu (Chinese acres), the Butterfly Spring Scenic Area is 24 km
 from Dali Old Town. It consists of Butterfly Spring, Five Dragon Pool, Octagonal
 Pavilion, Crescent Pool, Duige (Antiphonal Singing) Pool, Qingren Lake 
(Lovers Lake), Statues of Mr. Xu Xiake (a famous traveler in the Ming Dynasty),
 Wanghai (Viewing the Lake) Pavilion, Yongdie (Extolling Butterflies) Stele etc,
 among which the most famous is the Butterfly Spring.

As a natural spring of 50 square meters, the Butterfly Spring is shrouded by an
 ancient decumbent tree (albizzia tree). Encircled by marble banisters, the spring
 is 6 meters deep with pellucid water. As the location of the film “Wu Duo Jin Hua” 
(Five Golden Flowers), the Butterfly Spring is the romantic place of the Bai People.
 Its water hence is deemed the “Water of Romance”. In April, the blooms, which
 resemble to butterflies, of the albizzia tree over the spring attract thousands of 
butterflies to give rise to a spectacular of Dali.

The Butterfly Spring used to be called “Wu Di Dong” (Unfathomable Pool). 
It is said that two lovers from the Bai ethnic group, whose love was rejected,
 suicided by plunging into the pool. After they died, they turned into two 
butterflies. On each lunar April 15th, the locals spend a festival named 
“Hu Die Hui” (Butterfly Meeting). The Bai youth gather here, seeking love
 by joining in antiphonal singing.