The fairy realms portrayed in literature have many established features. A common plot element is that if a visitor to fairyland stays there, he can live there as an immortal forever. But usually the hero is stricken with homesickness and leaves; once back among the distracting, vulgar pleasures of the mortal world, he never finds his way into fairyland again.
文學中的仙境有著特定的設計，另一常用的手法，是人們進入仙境，若留根當地，可以永遠過著神仙生活，但主角往往思鄉而出，凡俗心未泯，終不復返桃花源。