In contrast with the heartbreaking story, the Luoshui River offers a pleasant experience for drifters.

A section of the river is open to drifting. Sitting on rubber boats, urban-dwelling visitors relish the white clouds and lush green mountains.

For such visitors the primitive environment is liberating, so much so that many feel free to playfully splash water on boats passing by, whose occupants, naturally enough, feel obliged to return the favor.

It's all in a spirit of fun, says Pu Jiale, a visitor from Wanzhou, a city under the administration of Chongqing.

Shen Changwen contributed to the story.

Contact the writer at [email protected]