What are the gardens in Yangzhou? Check out the fireworks in March
Preface
When talking about gardens, one can't help but think of Suzhou. These titles have fascinated people: World Heritage, City of Gardens, etc., but people often overlook this small city in central Jiangsu - Yangzhou. In addition to the Huaiyang cuisine that has become popular in recent years, her garden culture is equally amazing.
Image by Xiao Si
The Yangzhou Huafanglu states: "Hangzhou is renowned for its lakes and mountains, Suzhou for its markets, and Yangzhou for its gardens and pavilions. The three stand side by side, with no clear winner." Clearly, Yangzhou gardens, not Suzhou gardens, were the most prestigious in the world at the time. Let's explore the allure of Yangzhou gardens.
Why are there so many gardens in Yangzhou?
Yangzhou's canal culture and the prevalence of salt merchants provided ample financial resources for the creation of private gardens and a luxurious lifestyle. According to statistics, at its peak, there were over 200 private gardens in Yangzhou.
From prosperity to decline
After the salt system reform, the Opium War, the Taiping Rebellion and other changes and wars, a large number of Yangzhou gardens were either abandoned, burned, or demolished and sold, and Yangzhou gardens began to decline.
Characteristics of Yangzhou Gardens
Some scholars believe that the gardens in Yangzhou combine the styles of both northern royal gardens and southern private gardens. This statement has a basis in fact. The reasons are: first, the Qing emperor toured the south, merchants from all over the country gathered together, and transportation was smooth; second, it was the result of technical exchanges between garden craftsmen from the north and the south.
Yangzhou gardens have the magnificent, splendid and luxurious features of royal gardens, as well as a large number of architectural pieces found in Jiangnan gardens. They are full of details and have their own style.
Garden Representative
"Recreate the world within a short distance." Gardens and houses are integrated into one, offering opportunities for appreciation, exploration, and residence. In the month of March, when fireworks bloom and spring breezes spread across ten miles, why not come to Yangzhou to discover the delights of gardens and witness the charm of this renowned capital of the Huai River?
Water Garden: Slender West Lake
Slender West Lake, already taking shape during the Kangxi and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty, is known as "the most magnificent garden in the world." It is also a World Cultural Heritage site, a symbol of Yangzhou's elegance and grandeur, and a must-see for first-time visitors. The garden's architecture is simple and diverse, with a prominent focus on water, imbued with poetic and artistic beauty.
"Weeping willows intertwine with withered weeds, and the rainbow bridge, like a wild goose tooth, looks like a painting. It is also a pot of molten gold, so it should be called Slender West Lake."
This poem describes her most appropriately, describing the scenery and prosperity of the area around Slender West Lake. The author Wang Hang was from Qiantang (Hangzhou at the time). After enjoying the beautiful scenery here, he compared it with his hometown West Lake and felt that Yangzhou was as prosperous as Hangzhou, so he called it "the molten gold pot", which shows the prosperity of Yangzhou at that time.
Tips:
Ticket prices
Peak season: 100 yuan (March, April, May, September, October, November)
Off-season: 60 yuan (February, June, July, August), 30 yuan (January, December)
Opening hours
Daytime: 07:00~17:30
Food recommendations
Crab shell yellow, radish crispy cake, shredded chicken roll, tofu roll, four-happiness dumplings, scallion crispy cake, etc.
Festivals
Every year from April 8th to May 8th, the "Slender West Lake Flower Festival"
There are also spring orchid exhibitions, summer lotus exhibitions, autumn chrysanthemum exhibitions, and winter double plum exhibitions.
A unique example of Chinese gardens: Ge Garden
Geyuan Garden was expanded by Huang Zhiyun, the head of the Lianghuai Salt Merchants during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, on the site of the Ming Dynasty's Shouzhi Garden. Although modest, the garden showcases the architect's ingenuity throughout. Notable is the stone stacking technique, which employs a technique of dividing peaks and stacking different stones to create the four landscapes of "Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter."
Each season's rockery has its own unique characteristics, expressing the poetic and picturesque sentiments of "Spring mountains are vibrant and smiling, Summer mountains are lush and green, Autumn mountains are clear and made-up, and Winter mountains are bleak and sleepy," and "Spring mountains are suitable for travel, Summer mountains are suitable for viewing, Autumn mountains are suitable for climbing, and Winter mountains are suitable for living." Ge Garden, with its novel design and rigorous structure, is one of Yangzhou's most renowned landscapes.
Tips:
Attraction ticket prices
45 yuan in peak season (March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December), half-price ticket 22 yuan
30 yuan in the off-season (January, February, July, and August)
Opening hours
7:15-17:30
The most famous garden in the late Qing Dynasty: He Garden
The status of Ge Garden and He Garden in Yangzhou is equivalent to that of Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden in Suzhou. They represent the pinnacle of the prosperous and late Qing dynasties respectively, and together they have established the important position of Yangzhou gardens among the gardens of Jiangnan.
He Garden is also known as Jixiao Villa. The name of the garden is taken from Tao Yuanming's "Return home...climb the east hill to let out a whistle, and write poems by the clear stream." It was built as the back garden of He's house, so it is also called "He Garden".
Viburnum
The He Garden's defining feature is its full utilization of the function and charm of corridor architecture. Its 1,500-meter-long double-story corridor is a rare sight in Chinese gardens. Its diversions, its connections between high and low, its connection to mountains and water, and its access to the inner chambers of the garden create a 3D landscape. This showcases the beauty of Chinese garden art, both its looping and interconnected beauty and its interconnectedness, representing the earliest prototype of a flyover in China.
Image by Xiao Si
The plum blossoms and osmanthus flowers beside the Half Moon Terrace, the peonies and Chinese peonies at the northern foot of the mountain, the red maples on the southern mountain, the sycamores and ancient locust trees in front of the courtyard, the banana trees beside the buildings, etc., have a layout that reflects the four seasons and changes from morning to evening throughout the day, which shows the care taken.
Tips:
Attraction tickets
Ticket price: 45 yuan in peak season, 30 yuan in off-season
Opening hours
7:30-17:15
Hidden in the boudoir, unknown to the world: Xiaopangu
The park is named "Xiaopan Valley" for its rocky peaks, treacherous paths, deep streams, and winding stone paths. Due to its small area, the park is wonderfully designed using the artistic techniques of "winning more with less" and "seeing the big in the small," creating a contrast between seclusion and spaciousness, density and sparseness, elegance and simplicity.
Image by Xiao Si
In his book "Yangzhou Gardens," garden expert Professor Chen Congzhou praised Xiaopangu highly: "This garden features towering green peaks, imposing cliffs overlooking the stream, and a seamless blend of water and rock. Its mastery lies in its use of the technique of 'winning more with less.'" He also wrote, "This garden's rockery is among the finest among Yangzhou gardens," and "the technique of stacking the rocks is particularly fine, rivaling that of Suzhou's Huanxiu Villa."
Tips:
Attraction tickets
20 yuan (cash purchase)
Opening hours
8:30-16:30 all year round
The Moon is Everywhere: Erfen Mingyue Tower
"One third of the world's moonlit nights are filled with anger, and two thirds of the scoundrels are in Yangzhou." Later generations used "two thirds of the moon" as a synonym for Yangzhou. Yangzhou is the only city with the charm of the moon. Yangzhou literati take pleasure in appreciating the moon, reciting poems and expressing their feelings. The famous capital of Huaizuo and the poetic Yangzhou are just like this.
Image by Jin Yu
The garden sculptures in the center are even more fascinating. The fan-shaped pavilion, the moon-accompanying corridor, the moon bridge, and the lattice windows in the doorways are shaped like full, waning, or crescent moons. The pavilions, corridors, and bridges are all shaped like the moon. Especially on a moonlit night, the real moon is gentle, the imaginary moon is hazy, and between the real and the imaginary, the ground is covered with silver and the shadows of the trees are mottled. One can sincerely admire the saying "Spring breeze brings three thousand guests to Langyuan, and the bright moon is the best building in Yangzhou."
Tips:
No tickets required
Take a rest in the park, savor the rocks, listen to a piece of music, or play a piece of flute, you will have endless fun and enjoy the slow life.
More gardens
West Garden
The garden is situated high on Shugang Mountain, adorned with vines and fringed with plum and bamboo trees. Peach and apricot trees bloom in vibrant colors. Facing the pond are several winding rooms, corridors, and small pavilions, creating a unique and secluded atmosphere. The garden boasts two waterfalls and springs, reminiscent of the scenic beauty of Jinan's Shaoquan Forest.
Xu Garden
There is a garden within a garden. Xu Garden was built on the site of the former "Taohuawu" and is located at the northern end of Chunliu, the long embankment of Slender West Lake. It was the former site of Taohuawu, the Han Garden in the early Qing Dynasty.
Zhenyuan
A villa in the city, a famous garden as a painting inspiration. A small bridge crosses the winding water, and immortal foreheads gather in a square pot. When it rains, there are waterfalls, when it is cloudless, there are many rockery.
Other gardens in Yangzhou that still have some remnants include the Lu Family's Ancient Residence, Di Garden, Xiaopu Garden, Hua Family Garden, Zhu Family Garden, Liu Family Garden, Qingyunshan Pavilion, and Lu Family's Yi Garden. Cui Garden and Yechun Garden have been demolished and rebuilt. The remains of Ying Garden have been excavated. Gardens such as Hu Garden, Bayong Garden, Dongrong Garden, and Wei Garden have been destroyed, with most of the remaining buildings moved to Slender West Lake, leaving only the residences.
Food recommendations
With a fortune of a hundred thousand taels, riding a crane to Yangzhou was one of the ultimate indulgences of the past. It meant living a leisurely and carefree life in Yangzhou, a Jiangnan water town brimming with poetry, wine, and a sense of prosperity and ease. The food alone could fill days and nights, making Yangzhou a truly world-renowned food capital. Both "A Bite of China" and "Flavorful Origins" mention Yangzhou. Join us as we savor the flavors of Yangzhou.
Image by Jin Yu
Huaiyang cuisine
One of the four major traditional Chinese cuisines, originating in Yangzhou and Huai'an, it is centered on cutting-edge culinary techniques, prioritizing authentic flavors and colors. Its pursuit of a universal palate appeals to both the refined and the vulgar without losing its elegance. Its distinctive philosophy is characterized by harmony, refinement, clarity, and freshness.
Yangzhou cuisine is famous for its various dim sum with thin skin, rich juice and delicious taste. As the saying goes: Sichuan cuisine is Yang dim sum.
The main ingredients are seafood, emphasizing freshness, and the taste is mild, fresh and slightly sweet. Famous dishes include stewed crab meat lion head, soft-shelled eel, Huai'an tea-fried fried dough sticks, boiled dried bean curd strips, three-piece duck, and crystal braised pork.
Yangzhou Morning Tea
Yangzhou morning tea is a folk food custom that follows the style of Huaiyang cuisine and was once unforgettable to Emperor Qianlong.
"In the morning, skin is covered in water, and in the evening, water is covered in skin." Morning tea is the epitome of Yangzhou cuisine. A cup of fragrant tea in the morning, accompanied by conversation over food and drink, and a soak in the bathhouse in the evening—it's like being in heaven. While Yangzhou may have long lost its aura of global wealth, its morning tea culture remains. The tea couplet at Yangzhou's renowned Fuchun Tea House is quite distinctive, stating the following: "Delicious food can be served without meat; elegance and simplicity are difficult to achieve without me."
Conclusion
Yangzhou gardens embody the artistic beauty of a layout so densely packed that a needle can't be squeezed in, yet space is wide enough for a horse to pass through. Despite the numerous buildings, the space never feels crowded, but rather is carefully proportioned, embodying the art of using small details to convey a larger picture. After visiting the gardens, Professor Chen Congzhou of Tongji University commemorated them in a poem: "Gardens in Jiangnan are the best in the world, and Yangzhou is home to half the bright moon. Spring waves green above the waterside pavilions, and to admire the beauty, one ascends the series of towers."
Fireworks in March in Yangzhou, you can join the consultation group below to learn the detailed route~
