The boatman initially exerts effort, then glides by inertia. Across the river lies Hong'an ancient town of Chongqing.

In minutes, I've crossed from Hunan to Chongqing. Here, crossing provinces takes less time than brewing tea.

Standing at the three-sided boundary marker — a triangular tablet facing Hunan, Chongqing, and Guizhou — as we boat back to Biancheng, Tian notes that the place they call "one foot in three provinces" has become an internet hot spot where visitors pose with arms and legs stretched, collecting location tags like souvenirs for their social media posts.

Looking around this vantage point, cooking smoke slowly rises into the air across the riverbanks, while village women kneel by the water's edge, washing clothes as their wooden paddles beat out rhythmic thuds mixed with laughter and chatter.

"The town has no heavy commercial atmosphere, and strives to create a quiet and pure atmosphere for visitors to unwind," Tian explains.

In 2021, construction began on the Chadong cultural tourism zone in Biancheng.

By August 2022, the upgraded ancient zone revealed itself anew, with a restored Red Army command post, historical teahouse and Shen Congwen's former residence.

The goal has been to create a quiet, simple town where visitors can enjoy an idyllic, pastoral life, according to the Biancheng authorities.

Tian points to cliffside caves as we walk back along the riverbank.

"They are hanging coffins, which were originally from a Guizhou funeral custom. Here, where cultures blend, you see traditions from all three provinces," she explains.

This blend has been most evident in cuisine. The signature dish is "One Bite Tastes Three Provinces" featuring a fish hotpot using Hunan's spiciness, Guizhou's sourness and Chongqing's numbing pepper. One mouthful delivers three provinces' flavors in delicious combat.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, teams from the three provinces gather on the Qingshui River for races, Tian says, inviting me to come back for the holiday.

"Afterward comes duck-catching — hundreds of ducks tossed in the river, anyone can keep what they catch. In the novel, Cuicui and Nuosong first met at such a festival," she elaborates.