Zuibaichi Garden, situated in the old town of Songjiang, is a quintessential Jiangnan garden known for its lush ancient trees and tranquil, secluded environment. It offers a rare taste of elegance and serenity amidst the downtown hustle. Though not expansive, the garden boasts pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and ponds, all contributing to its charm. The lattice windows of the corridors frame unique floral landscapes, making it an ideal retreat to escape the summer heat and admire the lotus blooms. In late autumn, visitors can enjoy the annual chrysanthemum exhibition.
The garden is adorned with hundreds of plaques, inscriptions, and stone carvings by renowned masters, adding to its cultural significance. As one of the five classical gardens in Shanghai, alongside Yu Garden, Guyi Garden, Qiuxia Garden, and Qushui Garden, Zuibaichi Garden has a rich history. Originally a private residence garden from the Song Dynasty, it later became the home of Dong Qichang, a celebrated painter and calligrapher of the late Ming Dynasty. The current garden was constructed on the old site by Gu Dashen, a Qing Dynasty painter.
Today, Zuibaichi Garden has been transformed into a park, divided into an inner and an outer garden. The outer garden is a recent addition, while the inner garden retains the original classic layout. Access to the inner garden is through the west gate on South Renmin Road, which leads deep into the heart of the garden. Upon entering the outer garden, visitors are greeted by a brick-carved screen wall, whose intricate carvings depict the garden’s scenic highlights.Walking east along the tree-lined avenue, you can visit the ‘Carved Hall’, an ancient classical residence of the Qing Dynasty that was relocated not long ago. The wood carvings of ‘The Battle of Red Cliffs’ in the hall are worth seeing. Further ahead, there is a stone arch bridge. Standing on the bridge, you can overlook the wide lotus pond in the north and south. Especially in summer and autumn, when the lotus is in full bloom, the fragrance is refreshing.
In the outer garden, there is also a large lawn, as well as a rockery waterfall named ‘Five-color Spring’ and a tea room named ‘Reading Hall’. Passing through the cedar forest, you can enter the inner garden through the corridor on the west side.
In the center of the inner garden is a rectangular lotus pond. This is Zuibaichi Garden. Strolling leisurely in the corridor around the pond is very pleasant. Although the inner garden is small, it is full of lush flowers and trees. There are many ornamental pines and bamboos in the garden. There is a large camphor tree with a history of more than 300 years on the north side of the pond. There is a peony garden on the east side of the pond. In the backyard of Xuehai Hall on the west side, there are osmanthus fragrans trees. Around the pond and in the halls, there are often various potted flowers. Especially the chrysanthemum exhibition in mid-November every year is worth seeing. You can see chrysanthemums of hundreds of varieties. In addition, there is also a bonsai garden next to the south of the inner garden.The scenery inside the garden is truly captivating. The inner garden features a series of interconnected corridors that lead to various pavilions, including the Xuehai Hall, Sifang Hall, a thatched cottage on the pond, the sedan hall, and the Letian Pavilion, among others. Predominantly constructed during the Qing Dynasty, these pavilions exude an antique charm and are adorned with an array of mahogany furniture arranged in accordance with the traditional indoor layouts of ancient times.
A highlight of the garden is the thatched cottage on the pond, where a plaque inscribed with ‘Zuibaichi Garden’ by the renowned painter Cheng Shifa hangs beneath the eaves of its entrance. In the southern part of the inner garden, visitors can stroll through a corridor adorned with inscriptions and paintings. Here, one can admire numerous stone inscriptions by celebrated calligraphers and painters, such as Zhao Mengfu’s ‘Ode to the Red Cliff’ from the Yuan Dynasty, Zheng Banqiao’s ‘It’s Hard to be Muddled’ from the Qing Dynasty, and a banner penned by Dong Qichang, a painter of the Ming Dynasty. These inscriptions are distinctive features of Zuibaichi Garden.
For those planning a visit, the garden’s opening hours are as follows: from January 1st to April 30th, it is open from 07:00 AM to 05:00 PM; and from May 1st to December 31st, it operates from 06:00 AM to 05:00 PM. As for concessions, the garden offers the following:
– Elderly: Free entry for those aged 65 and above; half-price entry for those aged 60 to 64.
– Retired military and retired military officers: Free entry with valid identification.
– Active military personnel, martyrs’ families, and military spouses: Free entry with valid identification.
– Disabled (military) individuals: Free entry with valid identification.
– Children: Free entry for those aged 6 and under, or with a height of 1 meter or less.For those aged 6 to 18 with valid identification, half-price entry. Students: Half-price entry for full-time undergraduate and lower-level students with valid student identification. 3 meters and under (must be accompanied by an adult).
