Yangjiaxi Rongfeng Park in Xiapu is a scene from the textbooks, featuring the old man and the ox

Yangjiaxi's Rongfeng Park is a paradise for photography enthusiasts. Many tourists like to come here to take pictures of the ancient banyan trees. Shrouded in mist and rain, the whole Yangjiaxi seems like a fairyland. The park is quite different from what one might imagine. Although it is called a park, it is not very large in size. The ancient banyan and maple trees here are generally over 900 years old, with thick trunks and lush foliage. Some of the roots are exposed on the ground, like sinews stretching into the earth, while the branches extend out to form a green barrier. The sunlight casts mottled shadows through the leaves. The most famous sights here are the raincoated elder carrying a yoke and driving an ox, and the goose-herding girl in a floral jacket. They pass under the ancient trees, with clouds and mist swirling behind them, creating a natural painting reminiscent of a heavenly paradise. When you step in, you become part of the painting, which is why the photos turn out so well. It is this beautiful scenery that has made the cover of the Chinese language textbooks and has made Rongfeng Park widely known, becoming a must-visit destination for tourists. Of course, there are also many who feel it is not worth the visit after going, as the expected natural beauty turns out to be artificially staged, shattering the dreamlike illusion. The misty scenes in the photos come from artificially generated smoke. The raincoated elder and the goose herder are local farmers in costume, and the oxen and geese are trained to move according to the photographer's instructions, presenting the best possible picture to the tourists. Of course, all of these services come with a fee. The scene of the elder with the yoke and ox costs 150 yuan per person, and a photo with the ox costs 50 yuan per person. With the mindset of 'since we're here, let's do it,' I decisively spent 50 yuan for my son to experience the joy of herding the ox with a flute, although it lacked some pastoral charm and had more of a worldly air. During the ox-riding, the raincoated elder's posture was spot on, and a crowd of photographers and tourists surrounded them, snapping away as if they were the most beautiful scenery at that moment.