Autumn Scenery at Jiading Qiuxia Garden and Guyi Garden in Shanghai

Activities: Culinary delights, photography, free travel. Published on 2019-12-29 at 11:43. In early [...]

Activities: Culinary delights, photography, free travel.

Published on 2019-12-29 at 11:43. In early December 2019, the late autumn in Shanghai was as warm as autumn, still presenting an autumnal scene. The author joined a photography colleague for a countryside outing to capture the last glimpse of autumn. Jiading District’s Qiuxia Garden and Nanxiang Guyi Garden, two classic Chinese gardens, were chosen as photography spots.

On December 9th, in clear weather, the author took the subway line 11 at 8 AM to Jiading North and transferred to bus number 12 to get off at Bole Square. Then walked back to East Street, following the nearly extinct cobblestone road in Shanghai for about 150 meters, and entered Qiuxia Garden at 9 AM.

Qiuxia Garden, located in Jiading city, is a famous Shanghai classic garden alongside Yu Garden, Guyi Garden, Zui Bai Pond, and Qu Shui Garden. The layout of Qiuxia Garden is compact, centered around a clear pond with stone mountains and towering ancient trees surrounding it, providing a unique experience of ‘a scene with each step’ in the garden. Qiuxia Garden is formed by the merger of three private gardens, Gong’s Garden, Shen’s Garden, and Jin’s Garden, and the city temple (City God Temple), with most of the garden’s buildings dating back to the Ming Dynasty, while the city temple can be traced back to the Song Dynasty.

The author visited the following places: Shanghai Qiuxia Garden, Guyi Garden, Bole Square, Yu Garden, Zui Bai Pond, Qu Shui Garden, City God Temple, Nanxiang Ancient Town.Qiuxia Garden is a delightful place, segmented into four distinct scenic areas, each with its own unique charm. The main attraction is the Poolside Thatched Cottage within the Peach Blossom Pond Scenic Area. During autumn, the garden comes alive with the vibrant colors of red maple trees, making it an ideal spot for maple viewing and photography enthusiasts.

Upon entering the garden through the south gate, you find yourself in the City Temple Scenic Area, located in the southeast corner. This area is home to several historical buildings that were reconstructed during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. The main hall stands grand and tall, currently serving as the venue for the ‘Shanghai Local Customs and Traditions Photo Exhibition’ by the Shanghai Folk Culture Expo Center. The bedroom palace is adorned with a large bed and other exquisite furniture, showcasing opulent decorations. The well pavilions on either side of the garden’s south gate are original structures of the city temple, adding to the historical ambiance.

Moving to the east, the Ningxia Pavilion Scenic Area was once the site of Shen’s Garden. It features a network of interconnected courtyards and corridors, surrounded by an abundance of trees and flowers. The centerpiece of this area is a large screen mountain crafted from Taihu stones, with buildings such as Ningxia Pavilion, Liao Yan Hall, You Ching Hall, Fu Shu Hall, Huan Cui Pavilion, Ping Shan Hall, and Shu Yu Zhai encircling it.

Finally, the Peach Blossom Pond Scenic Area, originally part of Gong’s Garden and situated in the southwest, is centered around the picturesque Peach Blossom Pond. This area boasts a variety of buildings, including Wan Xiang Residence, Ji Xia Pavilion, Poolside Thatched Cottage, Yi Wei Hall to the south, Cong Gui Pavilion to the west, and Ji Shan Pavilion, Bi Guang Pavilion to the north. Some of these structures are perched on the mountain, while others are nestled by the pond, offering a harmonious blend of nature and architecture.Guyi Garden, originally built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (AD 1522-1566), was a private residence originally named ‘Yi Garden’, taken from the phrase ‘green bamboo Yi Yi’ in the Book of Songs. In the eleventh year of the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1746 AD), it was renamed ‘Guyi Garden’. The architectural style of Guyi Garden is reminiscent of the classical gardens of Suzhou, with pavilions and towers nestled among small bridges and flowing water, offering a changing view with every step. The Poolside Thatched Cottage resembles a boat, hence also known as the Boat That Does Not Sail Pavilion, where one can enjoy the beauty of Peach Blossom Pond. The Qingjing Pond Scenic Area, in the northern part of the garden and the site of Jin’s Garden, is connected to Peach Blossom Pond in the south, with San Yin Hall to the north of the pond, Liu Yun Residence, Qiu Shui Pavilion, Qing Hall to the east, and Qing Song Ridge, Sui Han Pavilion, Bu Pavilion to the west. Qing Song Ridge is a small hill made of piled soil, planted with trees such as green pines, red maples, white magnolias, wintersweet, and equipped with artificial mountains, waterfalls, and pavilions, making it an excellent place for rest and relaxation. At noon, the author took the Shanghai-Tang Special Line to Guyi Garden, tasted the famous Shanghai snacks Nanxiang Xiaolongbao and Fish Ball Soup at Guyi Garden Restaurant, rested for a while, and then entered the park. Continued shooting until the sun began to set and then started to return home.The garden is graced with an air of simplicity and elegance. Guyi Garden features two main entrances. Entering through the south gate leads to the Nanxiang Wall (a screen wall). The north gate opens up to the Yiyue Hall. Visitors can choose to exit through the opposite gate, thus avoiding retracing their steps. For those with extra time, a stroll through the ancient town of Nanxiang is highly recommended.

Yiyue Hall, the garden’s central hall, stands with camphor wood columns and is surrounded by pathways on all four sides. From within the hall, one can enjoy the surrounding scenery.

To the east of Yiyue Hall lies the Goose Pool. With the rather unique Jue Jiao Pavilion to the south of the pool, which is missing its northeast corner. Moving eastward, visitors will pass by the Mandarin Duck Lake and the Pine and Crane Garden, leading to the Qingqing Garden, where the true essence of ‘green bamboo rustling’ can be observed. The ancient buildings beneath the bamboo groves, with their upturned eaves and corners, exude a sense of freshness and subtlety.