I cannot begin to describe how much I love this show. If you haven't watched it - just turn it on now. Stop hesitating!

It begins with Xu Hongdou leaving behind her job in Beijing to travel to Dali, Yunnan because of a personal tragedy she faced. She goes to stay in a homestay in Yunmiao, a village off the beaten path. In the homestay there are other lost souls who have all gathered in this beautiful dreamlike home because they too are running away from reality or from their troubles. You have the beautiful Nana who works in the cafe and harbours a secret, Da Mai, the uninspired writer, Ma Qiu Shan the businessman turned wannabe monk, Teacher Hu / Hu You Yu the wandering unsuccessful musician.

Over three months these guests to the yard grow closer and open up about their struggles and challenges and the most magical thing is they all leave healed - better versions of themselves. Not in some tropey or cliche way - in a way that is close to reality. Healed by time, friendship and self determination.

And of course there is the romance between Hongdou and Xie Zhi Yao played by two of the most popular actors in China right now. Li Xian is perfectly cast as Xie Zhi Yao. The handsome, rough round the edges boy next door with a smile that lights up rooms. Their relationship wasn't hurried. It blossomed - and that's the best kind. It was clear that Xie Zhi Yao was attracted to Hongdou from the start but the screenwriters let them get to know each other better and form a friendship before they grew into a relationship. It was a mature relationship with a strong foundation.

The supporting cast were absolute stars. Each had wonderful character development stories. Xie Xiao Chun, Xie Xiao Xia, even Ah Nai - it was such a joy to witness the growth of their characters. I felt that the magic of this little village in Dali is that nobody stays the same - everyone grows and becomes better versions of themselves, helped along by the people around them.

Even the village doesn't stay the same. It evolves and grows with the time. In a way, as i think of it now, the village represents the people and the people represent the village. They both grow in parallel.

Finally, I must not leave out the little children - Tuo Tuo, Xiao Hulu, Hu Zi and Guo Bao. Their presence was like the sprinkles on top of an already absolutely perfect sundae. They added such joy, and sometimes strong emotions of sadness, to the show. Their presence really amplified the mood of each scene. If an event was happy, it was doubly happy with the children there; if the scene was sad, it was doubly sad with the children. Such a masterstroke to include the little ones in the show.

Honestly, I cannot think of a show that has excelled at almost everything. I literally cannot find a single thing to fault. And that is so rare when now I see to find it easy to find faults with the hurried scriptwriting.

Absolutely wonderful. An instant classic. I am re-watching it from the beginning because I am not ready to leave Yunmiao yet.