The Garden Expo Garden covers an area of 3.45 square kilometers, approximately 5175 mu, and is an emerging cultural and tourism complex in the Yangtze River Delta region, as well as a model site for the transformation of industrial heritage into cultural creativity in the eastern China area. The park has been meticulously designed by renowned domestic and international architectural masters based on distinctive landscape resources such as ‘garden horticulture’, ‘industrial heritage’, and ‘mining cliff walls’, creating four exquisite gardens: the Cliffside Flower Valley, the Time Art Valley, the Su Charm Valley, and the Cloud Pond Dream Valley.
Furthermore, the Garden Expo Garden has introduced well-known boutique hotels such as Banyan Tree, Marriott Westin, Autograph, Radisson Select, and InterContinental Indigo, and has created experiential projects like Coca-Cola. At the same time, the innovative underwater botanical garden that combines nature will also be a highlight, offering visitors a one-stop cultural and tourism complex that integrates leisure, retail, dining, cultural exhibitions, and entertainment experiences.
Behind the Garden Expo Garden, Jiangsu Garden Expo Garden aims to create a new type of tourism and vacation destination that integrates natural landscapes, family tourism, in-depth experiences, and leisure vacations. It pursues a high-quality lifestyle different from urban living and a one-stop travel attitude different from conventional travel, allowing people to experience a unique new experience brought by the Garden Expo Garden during their ‘garden’ tour.
A distinctive attraction in Nanjing for visitors to check in is the characteristic bell tower located here, projecting Nanjing’s past, present, and future onto three clock faces. The first bell in China was made by Nanjing native Ji Tairan and is called the Nanjing Bell. The bell tower with three clock faces stands on high-rise buildings in the main exhibition area of the Garden Expo Garden. The bell tower and the Big Ben in the UK were designed by the same company, with LED screens built on the walls, and Chen Gang, the composer of the Violin Concerto of Liang Zhu, was invited to compose music for the hourly chime.
The main exhibition hall, originally the abandoned factory buildings of Yin Jia and Kun Yuan, two white cement factories, has been transformed into a multifunctional industrial heritage protection, exhibition display, office meeting, and leisure service center by the design of Academician Cui Kai from the Chinese Academy of Engineering. In the future, ten thousand square meters of commercial space will be reserved here, and attractions such as the Coca-Cola Museum, Camera Museum, and Pioneer Bookstore will become surprises for visitors during their tour.
The Coca-Cola Brand Pavilion showcases the brand’s century-long history of innovation and development, with a variety of Coca-Cola merchandise for sale over the years, allowing visitors to experience the charm of this globally popular beverage. Pioneer Bookstore, selected by National Geographic as one of the top ten bookstores in Asia, has become a cultural symbol of Nanjing’s humanities. Distinctive hotels such as Banyan Tree, Marriott, Radisson, InterContinental, and Westin, from renowned global resort hotel chains, gather here with unique features. Some face mountains, some overlook lakes, some are close to Jiangnan gardens, and some offer views of flower seas from the windows… The dilemma of a wonderful holiday is deciding which hotel to stay in. The Su Yun Thirteen Gardens – an immersive Jiangsu culture garden experience project: Designed by Professor Chen Wei, an ancient architecture expert from Southeast University, the project adheres to the design concept of ‘Innovating with the Ancient to Recreate the Essence of Jiangsu Gardens’, authentically recreating the classic ancient garden architecture from thirteen prefecture-level cities in Jiangsu, allowing visitors to experience the classic gardens of Jiangsu in a single day. The all-day, all-area immersive Chinese-style performance ‘Su Yun Xun Fang’ is staged daily within the Su Yun Thirteen Gardens. Guided by the Jiangsu talent Li Yu, visitors encounter historical literati and experience the unique charm of different cities, embarking on a dream journey through Jiangnan gardens. One city, one garden, one story; one step, one scene, one surprise. The Su Yun Thirteen Gardens innovatively integrate experiential commercial scenes with immersive cultural exhibitions, featuring traditional attire, Kunqu Opera coffee, oriental tea, and intangible cultural heritage crafts… Visitors experience the classic aesthetics and philosophical thoughts of Jiangsu gardens amidst the interweaving of art and cultural imagination, depicting a colorful Jiangsu cultural tapestry, and experiencing a natural, cultural, and beautiful Su Yun elegant lifestyle. Highlight One: Master Design – The Su Yun Thirteen Gardens are designed by Professor Chen Wei, an ancient architecture expert from Southeast University, who leads the team with the concept of ‘Innovating with the Ancient to Recreate the Essence of Jiangsu Gardens’. Combining the famous ‘Three Distant’ landscape principles from the Song Dynasty, the design cleverly integrates the geographical and cultural characteristics of the thirteen cities and traditional garden culture for an overall layout, while creating twenty-four scenic spots, forming a harmonious and picturesque Jiangsu garden in the context of distinctive geological features. Highlight Two: Su Yun Xun Fang – A dreamlike all-day, all-area immersive performance ‘Su Yun Xun Fang’ unfolds on the natural stage of the garden, through immersive Chinese-style performance and roaming. With diverse forms of expression such as situational interpretation, art installations, stage displays, drama, dance, acrobatics, music, and interactive talk shows, it invites you on a journey filled with cultural depth and poetic sentiment. Amidst the interplay of art and cultural imagination, it depicts a colorful Jiangsu cultural tapestry, achieving a dreamlike all-sensory immersive viewing experience.
Highlight Three: Cultural Renowned Gardens – A Day to Explore the Classic Ancient Gardens of Jiangsu. Jiangnan gardens are unparalleled worldwide, and the thirteen gardens of Suyun showcase the classic representative gardens of thirteen Jiangsu cities in their original flavor. Starting from the five major cultural veins of Jiangsu, the gardens have restored the distinct canal culture of Yangzhou and Taizhou gardens; the distinct Jiangnan culture of Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou gardens; the distinct Chu-Han culture of Xuzhou and Suqian gardens; the distinct coastal culture of Lianyungang, Nantong, and Yancheng gardens; and the distinct culture of the Six Dynasties and Jinling of Nanjing and Zhenjiang gardens. In Suyun Thirteen Gardens, one can experience all the famous gardens of Jiangnan Jiangsu in a single day. Highlight Four: Ingenuity in Gardening – Jiangsu’s Gardening Art. Suyun Thirteen Gardens not only strive for perfection in design but also adopt traditional garden-making techniques such as lacquer and bricklaying patterns, using authentic building materials like bluestone and small blue tiles. The ancient construction is undertaken by two historical ancient building workshops, Dongyang and Xinxiang, and the landscape is personally crafted by the masters of Hangzhou and Shanghai schools of garden landscape. Highlight Five: Suyun Aesthetics – Oriental Garden Aesthetics with Scenery at Every Step. One city, one garden, one story; one step, one view, one surprise. From a high vantage point, with waterways connecting, the 13 city exhibition gardens are arranged according to the terrain, with pavilions scattered, corridors winding, and eaves soaring, gathering the essence of Suzhou-style garden landscapes and the quintessence of river, lake, and sea cultures. Walking through, the scenery changes with every step, as if traversing through thousands of years of history. Highlight Six: Suyun Freehand Style – Innovative Interpretation of Cultural Exhibition Spaces. Exploring the charm of Jiangsu culture through the beauty of gardens, from outdoor gardens to indoor exhibitions, every space is a cultural landscape point. Jiangsu culture is meticulously implemented in the exhibition space, infusing vitality into the thirteen gardens and providing visitors with a new living cultural experience. Highlight Seven: Suyun Collected Gifts – Humanistic Commercial Experience Space Integrated with Exhibition. Traditional costumes, Kunqu Opera coffee, oriental tea, intangible cultural heritage crafts… Suyun Thirteen Gardens innovatively blend experiential commercial scenes with immersive cultural exhibitions, with each pavilion integrating commerce, exhibition, tour, and experience, creating a unique Suyun elegant lifestyle experience. Highlight Eight: Hualin Seeking Fragrance – Nanjing Sunset Viewing Point. The Jingyang Tower of Nanjing Garden, as a landmark building and unique cultural identifier within the Garden Expo, is complemented by beautiful mountains and trees, recreating the elegant aesthetics of Chinese classical gardens during the transitional period. Climbing the tower allows for a panoramic view of the entire park and is a sunset viewing point in Nanjing. Suyun Seeking Fragrance – All-weather and All-domain Immersive Chinese Style Performance Roaming Project: ‘Suyun Seeking Fragrance’ unfolds through immersive Chinese style performance roaming, with a variety of performance forms such as situational performances, Chinese style parades, technology exhibitions, square dances, water performances, martial arts acrobatics, and interactive talk shows, complemented by floating stages, artistic decorations, interactive screens, and fog forests, achieving a dreamlike all-weather five-sense immersive viewing experience.
Guided by the renowned Jiangsu literati Li Yu, visitors step into thirteen cultural gardens each with a distinct style, encountering historical literati and experiencing the unique charm of different cities, embarking on a dreamlike journey through the Suzhou-style gardens of the Jiangnan region. Highlight One: Immersive Experience – The traditional Chinese-style performing arts roam through the entire area, divided into three themed performance areas: Searching for Elegance in Jiangnan, Inquiring about Rites in Palaces, and Military Performances on the Battlefield, comprising seven major chapters and sixteen performance points, covering both indoor and outdoor key nodes, creating a dreamy experience filled with performances along the way.
Highlight Two: All-Day Enjoyment – The garden performances are staged in a loop, building an all-day dense performance experience. Led by the protagonist Li Yu, visitors meet historical celebrities, traversing through thousands of years, creating a drama experience that is felt throughout the day. Highlight Three: Aesthetic Immersion – The oriental aesthetics of Jiangsu gardens are integrated into the classic ancient garden architecture and scenes of Jiangsu, where one step leads to a new view. Walking through, it feels as if one is traveling through the millennia of history. The beauty of the performances complements the beauty of the gardens. Highlight Four: Culture as the Soul – The innovative performances focusing on Jiangsu culture highlight the essence of Jiangsu culture and the heritage of the Jinling cultural vein. With performance as the form and culture as the soul, it provides an innovative interpretation and performance of Jiangsu culture, bringing visitors a cultural feast of Suzhou-style performances.Highlight 5: Spiritual Perception – Experience the Elegant Life of Humanistic Jiangsu Charm. The performance integrates viewing, interaction, parade, and experience. In the immersive viewing and performing process, cultural dialogues are initiated, aesthetic philosophies are felt, and tourists are given spiritual infiltration and an understanding and inheritance of the cultural life of Jiangsu charm.
Hugging Paradise – A natural healing parent-child paradise by the cliff. Project: Hugging Paradise takes the panda hug as its IP and covers an area of 91 mu. It is composed of two parts, ‘Natural Hill’ and ‘Healing Valley’, integrating multiple experiences such as nature, exploration, popular science, sports, and games. The park has many amusement facilities such as the Brave Tower, Hydrodynamic Factory, Water Bookstore, Starry Twin Towers, Slope Challenge, Cloud Slide, Forest Dream Climbing Net, Hugging Belly, Gummy Pillow, Strange Net Crossing, and Powerful Rope. There is also the Hugging IP-themed parent-child restaurant – Hugging Restaurant, which meets the happy experience of parent-child families aged 4-12 in one stop. In this natural healing parent-child paradise, children can freely enjoy the charm of nature and unlimited joy, perceive the beauty of nature in exploration, and grow up happily in love and hugs. Highlight 1: Hugging IP – The adorable giant panda hugs can be seen everywhere in the park. More panda companions move into Hugging Paradise and become new residents of the park, filling it with colorful new energy. Look for hug companions everywhere, at the gate, in the sea of flowers, on umbrella surfaces, and on fences. Embrace unlimited childishness and hug the fun of nature. Highlight 2: Natural Cliff – A non-powered paradise by the cliff. Nanjing’s non-powered paradise by the cliff retains the natural cliff and water surface landscape, creating a unique playing experience immersed in nature. Children can run and jump freely on the grass, swing and laugh on the swings, and harvest the joy of exploration in nature. Highlight 3: Hugging Restaurant – Panda hug IP parent-child restaurant. In Hugging Restaurant, you can taste delicious and nutritious children’s themed meals, enjoy a carefree and beautiful hug afternoon tea, customize a dreamy and childish themed birthday banquet, and enjoy a pleasant parent-child eating time while having fun. Opening hours: Open from 09:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Thursday and Sunday throughout the year; Open from 09:00 to 21:00 on Friday and Saturday throughout the year. Preferential policies: Children: Children under 1.2 meters (inclusive) in height are free. One ticket-purchasing adult can bring one free child (applicable to the Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park). Free; Children between 1.2 meters (exclusive) and 1.5 meters (inclusive) in height (applicable to the Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park). Half price; Children under 0.9 meters (inclusive) in height are free. One ticket-purchasing adult can bring one free child (applicable to Hugging Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park). Free; Height 0.Children between 9 meters (excluding) and 1.5 meters (including) (applicable to Baobao Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), half price. Elderly: Elderly people aged 70 years old (including) and above can exchange tickets for free at the ticket office with their identity documents and enter the park (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm and Baobao Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), free. Elderly people aged 60 years old (including) to 69 years old need to show their valid identity documents when entering the park (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm and Baobao Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), half price. Military personnel: Active-duty military personnel, retired cadres and retired non-commissioned officers who hold valid military officer certificates (armed police), military civilian cadre certificates, soldier certificates (armed police), non-commissioned officer certificates or student certificates issued by the army can exchange tickets and enter the park at the ticket office with valid certificates (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm and Baobao Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), free. Disabled people: People with valid disability certificates. People with severe disabilities can bring a caregiver and exchange tickets and enter the park at the ticket office with valid certificates (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm and Baobao Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), free. Nanjing medical staff: Medical staff in the city must hold medical staff certificates issued by medical and health institutions within Nanjing city and exchange tickets and enter the park at the ticket office with valid certificates (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm and Baobao Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), free. Fire rescue personnel: Fire rescue personnel (including on-duty, retired, disabled fire rescue personnel, fire rescue academy students and full-time government firefighters) can exchange tickets and enter the park at the ticket office with valid certificates (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm and Baobao Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), free. People with courageous acts: People with courageous acts who have been awarded honorary titles in Jiangsu Province or Nanjing City can exchange tickets and enter the park at the ticket office with valid certificates (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm and Baobao Paradise in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), free. People with preferential treatment: People who hold the Preferential Treatment Certificate for Veterans of the People’s Republic of China and the Preferential Treatment Certificate for the Surviving Families of Martyrs, Servicemen Who Died on Duty and Servicemen Who Died of Illnesses of the People’s Republic of China can exchange tickets and enter the park at the ticket office with valid certificates (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), free. Students: Full-time college students, undergraduates and postgraduates (excluding distance network education, commissioned education, adult education and evening university) (applicable to Thirteen Gardens of Jiangsu Charm in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park), half price.
