It seems that throughout our lives, we are always rushing somewhere—busy making a living, busy pursuing what lies ahead—yet often forgetting to pause and ask ourselves what we are truly waiting for.

All the tenderness in this world is worth waiting for slowly. We wait for a love that arrives at just the right time, with light in someone’s eyes and a place for us in their heart. We also wait for a moment of reconciliation with ourselves: to lay down our exhaustion and meet a more relaxed, more composed version of who we are.

That is why I came to Xuehu at night.

When daylight fades and the evening breeze brushes softly across the lake, the city’s noise is gently gathered in by the water. Moonlight settles into the heart; lanterns glow around pavilions and terraces; a light mist drifts slowly over the lake. Everything feels quiet and tender, with just the right touch of romance.

As the boat moves across the lake, light and shadow sway with the water. Watching the quiet devotion of Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao unfold in the performance, one witnesses a thousand years of romance and a lifetime of tenderness. Perhaps the finest love has never been dramatic or overwhelming. It is knowing and staying with one another through the years; it is the affection and certainty that cannot be hidden in someone’s eyes.

Standing in such a gentle nightscape, I suddenly felt at peace.

There is no need to worry that you will meet the right person too late, or to remain tangled in past regrets. The best way to live is to cherish love when it comes, and to heal yourself well when you are alone. Let the mountains, water, and moonlight settle your heart; let the warmth of everyday life make you whole. First meet a clear-minded version of yourself, and then meet a gentle love.

The evening breeze will come. The moon will grow full. And the right person will eventually arrive.

If you, too, sometimes feel lost, or are waiting for an unexpected moment of tenderness, come and take a walk around Xuehu.

At the foot of Tianzhushan, spend an evening in this gentle nightscape, watch an immersive waterborne night-tour performance, and feel the breeze over the lake.

May we all find release in the moonlight and meet one another amid wind and moon. May there be someone in our hearts and light in our eyes—never failing the moonlit night, and never failing ourselves.