陶淵明作〈桃花源記并詩〉,透過塑立桃源意象,寄託心中的理想社會,其筆下桃源神秘美好形象,引發後人的無限嚮往。該文齊備人物、場景、情節三項小說的基本要素,不僅與六朝筆記小說比肩,更可視為唐代傳奇的雛形。〈桃花源記并詩〉桃源神秘美好的形象及媲美小說的特質,引起唐代無數文人追求與模仿,形成以桃源為母題的創作熱潮。唐傳奇中諸如〈秦時婦人〉、〈李虞〉、〈採藥民〉、〈陰隱客〉等作,皆仿照〈桃花源記并詩〉的情節結構創作,並且受到唐代崇道慕仙的社會風氣影響,常將「桃源母題」與「仙道母題」結合,桃源遂發展成仙鄉淹留的傳說故事,使作品在繼承的桃源母題的同時又深具其時代特色。
The account Peach Blossom Spring by Tao Yuanming. Tao expressed his ideal society through the build of image of the Peach Blossom Spring. The image that he created was ideal and mysterious, which trigger later generation to yearn for it. It included character, setting and plot, the three main elements of a novel. It is not only as good as novels in six dynasties, but also valued as the rudiment of Tang Legend. The ideal and mysterious image in the account Peach Blossom Spring and the comparable features of novel, causing numbers of literati in Tang Dynasty pursue and imitate. As the result, this form a creative craze based on the wonderland motif were all followed the plotting structure of Peach Blossom Spring. The Tang people were influenced by the social ethos of the Taoism, they often combine the wonderland motif with the Taoist gods motif, hence, the wonderland evolved into the stories of Taoist gods. It enables works not only follow the motif of wonderland, but also include the characteristics of its times.