Shen Garden

🌸**Shaoxing, an ancient city immersed in poetry**🌸 🎋Stepping into Shaoxing is like entering a flowing ink painting. It is a treasure of Chinese culture and a representative of the Jiangnan water towns.🎋 🏞**Recommended Attractions**: 1️⃣ **Shen Garden**: Located in the urban area of Shaoxing, it is the site of the love story between Lu You and Tang Wan. Strolling in Shen Garden, it seems that you can hear the sighs and whispers of a thousand years. 2️⃣ **Lu Xun's Hometown**: This is the hometown of the literary master Lu Xun, where you can deeply experience Lu Xun's literary world and Shaoxing's traditional culture. 3️⃣ **East Lake**: The lake and mountains reflect each other beautifully, and boating on the lake, you can enjoy the beauty of nature. 📍**Location**: Inside the urban area of Shaoxing, with convenient transportation, you can take a bus or drive there. 🕰**Travel Duration**: It is recommended to spend 2-3 days to fully experience the style of Shaoxing. 🍜**Food Recommendations**: Of course, coming to Shaoxing, how can you miss the authentic Shaoxing rice wine and delicious fennel beans?🍶🥢 📸**Photo Check-in Spots**: The pavilions and towers in Shen Garden, or the lakeside of East Lake, are both excellent spots for taking photos. Remember to wear Hanfu for a more immersive experience!📷 💡**Tips**: Shaoxing's spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons, making it a better time to visit. Also, Shaoxing's night scene is unique, so consider taking a walk at night as well.🌙 🌼Shaoxing, an ancient city full of poetry and stories, is waiting for you to discover more beauty!🌼

Shen Garden is known as the first love garden in China, famous for the two Phoenix hairpin poems. It witnessed two tragic love stories. The love between Lu You and Tang Wan, love but not get. Zhao Shicheng is a pure love warrior. Lu You is still Lu You without Tang Wan, but Zhao Shicheng lost the whole world without Tang Wan. Lu You divorced Tang Wan for his mother, while Zhao Shicheng married the divorced Tang Wan under the pressure of the entire royal family. Day and night of companionship and comfort, finally opened Tang Wan's heart, a chance encounter in Shen Garden, a Phoenix hairpin poem, locked Tang Wan's heart again. This encounter in Shen Garden completely changed the fate of the three. Tang Wan died of depression, Zhao Shicheng never married again, and died in battle. Lu You had a full house of children and grandchildren, and died of illness at the age of 80. It's better not to see each other at first sight in Shen Garden.

Shaoxing Shen Garden: The Millennium Love Legend of Lu You and Tang Wan Shaoxing, this city renowned for its historical and cultural heritage, harbors a romantic yet sorrowful tale—the love legend of Lu You and Tang Wan. Shen Garden, also known as 'Shen's Garden,' stands as a witness to this story, with a history of over 800 years. Despite the vicissitudes of time, it still recounts that touching past. Shen Garden was established during the Southern Song Dynasty, covering an area of 57 acres. With pavilions, towers, bridges over flowing water, and lush trees, it resembles a picturesque scroll of a water town in the Jiangnan region. It was once a gathering place for literati and artists, who composed poetry and painted here, leaving behind many immortal verses. However, Shen Garden is even more famous for the love story of Lu You and Tang Wan. The two talented individuals were a match made in heaven, yet they were not destined to grow old together due to various reasons. In Shen Garden, they once wrote two 'Phoenix Hairpins' together, expressing their innermost feelings. Today, these verses have become timeless masterpieces, evoking endless sighs. Under the bridge, the spring waves are green; a startled swan reflects its image. A verse of Phoenix Hairpin, a millennium of love lost. Stepping into Shen Garden is like traveling through time back to the Southern Song Dynasty. You can stroll among the ancient pavilions and towers, experiencing the tranquility and elegance. On a bright spring day, the scenery of the garden is even more breathtaking, making visitors linger and forget to return. The daytime ticket price for Shen Garden is 40 yuan, while the night in Shen Garden has a different charm. Shen Garden at night is popular with tourists due to the wonderful performances, with ticket prices varying for seats A, B, and C, around a hundred yuan. Here, you can enjoy the performance while savoring the love story from a thousand years ago. Shaoxing Shen Garden is not just a beautiful garden landscape; it is also a legendary place that carries love and history. Enter Shen Garden, feel the millennium-old emotions and charm, and let your soul be elevated and purified.

🍶 Saying goodbye to Shaoxing, the reluctance is like aged wine, becoming richer with each taste. The ancient streets and mottled stone bridges seem to whisper the passage of time, bringing the tenderness and sweetness of Jiangnan vividly before my eyes. 📚 Wandering through the words of Mr. Lu Xun, the vibrant life of the Hundred Grass Garden and the tranquil bookish air of the Sanwei Bookstore together sketch vivid springtime scenes. Picking up a few fennel beans, sipping authentic Shaoxing rice wine, the leisure of life and the breath of literature flow between the lips, intoxicating. 🌟 【In-depth Shaoxing Travelogue·Two Days and One Night】 🌟 📅 𝐃𝐚𝐲 1: Whispers of History 🏠 Cangqiao Straight Street: In the early morning light, step onto the bluestone path, where the black-awning boats drift by, and the tapestry of local life slowly unfolds. 📚 Lu Xun's Hometown: Step into the scenes from textbooks, experience the joy of the master's childhood and the trajectory of his growth, where every brick and tile bears the marks of time. 🌳 Shen Garden: In the afternoon, stroll through the classical garden, listen to the love elegy of Lu You and Tang Wan, and appreciate the delicacy and sorrow of Jiangnan gardens. 🌉 Bazi Bridge: As the sun sets, the ancient bridge bathed in the afterglow is a paradise for photographers and a great place to explore the culture of old bridges. 🖋️ Hometown of the Sage of Calligraphy: As night falls, enter the world of Wang Xizhi's ink and brush, where each stele tells the legend of calligraphy, and the air is filled with the fragrance of culture. 📅 𝐃𝐚𝐲 2: Symphony of Nature and Ancient Charm 🛶 East Lake: Visit East Lake in the morning, take a black-awning boat through the cliffs, and experience the feeling of 'boating on the green waves, as if traveling in a painting'. 🏞️ Angsang Lake: Away from the hustle and bustle, this is a tranquil place undisturbed, where one can enjoy a moment of inner peace amidst the lake and mountains. 🏘️ Anchang Ancient Town: In the afternoon, wander through the quaint Anchang, taste authentic Shaoxing snacks, and feel the simple yet rich atmosphere of life. 👋 Return Journey: With a heart full of memories and luggage, bid a soft farewell to Shaoxing, but a seed of reunion has already been planted in the heart. 🏮 【Must-Visit Places, Top Five Selections】 🏮 📖 Lu Xun's Hometown: Not just a trip down memory lane with textbooks, but a journey into the memory of an era, savoring that unique cultural charm. 🛶 East Lake: A masterpiece of natural and man-made beauty, each frame is screen-saver worthy, captivating and unforgettable. ✍️ Hometown of the Sage of Calligraphy: Here, every stone slab, every wall seems to tell a thousand-year-old story, a must-visit for calligraphy enthusiasts. 🍜 Anchang Ancient Town: Unlike commercialized ancient towns, it retains more of its original ecology, making it an excellent place to find the true taste of Jiangnan. 🌆 Cangqiao Straight Street: A perfect blend of worldly life and water town charm, best for slowing down and appreciating the subtleties and realities of life. 🛌 【Accommodation Insights】 🏨 Choose a homestay or hotel near Lu Xun's Hometown for easy access to local culture and attractions, and enjoy the unique flavor of the streets at night. 🚗 【Convenient Travel Guide】 🚗 For Angsang Lake and Anchang Ancient Town, which are far from the city center, it is recommended to use Hello Bike's ride-sharing service, which is economical and environmentally friendly. 🚙 For those who worry about discomfort during travel, choose a petrol car service to reduce waiting for charging, making the journey smoother and more comfortable. 🌄💖 With such an itinerary, the beauty of Shaoxing is no longer just a dream of Jiangnan, but a tangible poetry and distance.

Do not miss the good times of summer. Take advantage of July when the lotus flowers 🪷 are in full bloom, and visit the misty and rainy Jiangnan again~ Shaoxing, a hidden gem in Jiangnan that is directly accessible by high-speed train and subway from Hangzhou, has a history of over 2500 years of city building. It is one of the first batch of national historical and cultural cities and a United Nations Habitat Award city. Every corner of the city is filled with cultural relics. Lotus Viewing Spots Shili Lotus Pond The best viewing time is from early to mid-July, when the 🪷 lotus flowers are in full bloom. It is recommended to view from the wooden walkway near Ze Xiang Pavilion, where the drone aerial photography is quite stunning. Address: Shili Lotus Pond in Shaoxing Mirror Lake National Park, Jiefang Avenue, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City Tickets: Free Dayu Mausoleum Scenic Area The lotus flowers 🪷 here truly have the gentle and soft charm of the Jiangnan water towns. You can take a black-awning boat to the lotus pond to view the lotus flowers up close. Address: Dayu Mausoleum in Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, on the Second Ring South Road Tickets: Free for Shaoxing residents Shen Garden In Shen Garden, the summer is serene, the lotus flowers are unique, and with a pot of tea, you can enjoy tea in front of the flowers, leisurely and comfortably. Address: No. 318 Luxun Middle Road, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province Tickets: Admission fee required Kuai Ge Park There's no need to squeeze into the crowded Shili Lotus Pond. There is also a great spot for viewing 🪷 lotus flowers in the urban area of Shaoxing, which is particularly photogenic. Address: South Gate of Qingdian Lake Community, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province Tickets: Free Lanting In Shaoxing's calligraphy haven, you can enjoy the lotus flowers 🪷 while experiencing the strong fragrance of ink and dance of the brush, offering a unique coolness of Jiangnan. Address: Lanting Scenic Area in Lanting Street, Keqiao District, Shaoxing City Tickets: Fee required Shaoxing B&Bs Hua Zhu She·Keqiao Ancient Town Gu Xi B&B Hua Zhu She·Lotus Pond Moonlight B&B (Shaoxing Keyan Scenic Area Store) Hua Zhu She·Shaoxing Ancient City Sage's Hometown B&B

Originally a private garden of the Shen family during the Song Dynasty, Shen Garden became a world-famous 5A scenic spot because of a tragic love story written by the great poet Lu You. It is said that during a spring outing, Lu You encountered Tang Wan, his wife who had been divorced for over a year. Despite their unresolved feelings, they could not be together, and Lu You wrote the famous 'Phoenix Hairpin': Lu You: 'Red soft hands, yellow rice wine, the city is full of spring with willows along the palace walls. The east wind is harsh, joy is thin, a heart full of sorrow, years of separation. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Tang Wan: Spring as before, but the person is thin, tear stains on the red silk are transparent. Peach blossoms fall, idle by the pond pavilion, although the mountain pledges remain, the brocade letter is hard to send. No! No! No!' It seems they were both literary geniuses and deeply in love! Although the garden is not large, it is also elegant. Shen Garden mainly consists of three parts: the ancient relics area, the East Garden, and the South Garden (Lu You Memorial Hall and Lianli Garden), forming ten scenic spots with meaningful names such as 'Endless Clouds of Sorrow', 'Poetic Realm of Love', 'Startled Swans on Spring Waves', 'Remnants of Old Walls and Regrets', 'Lonesome Crane's Sorrowful Cry', 'Green Lotus Reflecting the Sun', 'Willows of Resentment by the Palace Walls', 'Walking on Snow to Ask the Plum', 'Fragrance of Books and Poetry', and 'Magpie Bridge Conveying Affections'.

📍Recommended route: Entering Shen Garden is the ancient relics area, from one Taihu stone to another, with the words "Poetic Realm" written on it, from where you can start the tour. To the left is a corridor, with many inscriptions of poems on the walls, and wind chimes hanging under the eaves, with small wooden plaques full of messages written by lovers. Following the path in the garden, passing by Wenmei Barrier and Bayong Tower to the Six Dynasties Well Pavilion, this well and the gourd-shaped pool next to it are the only relics from the Six Dynasties in the garden. The Guhe Pavilion next to the pavilion is the center of Shen Garden, and to its south is the famous "Hairpin Phoenix" stele. Visitors who come here always stop to recite a few lines and reminisce about the love between Lu You and Tang Wan. To the east of Guhe Pavilion is the Shuanggui Hall, which is the place for evening performances in Shen Garden, and near its entrance are the entrances to the South Garden and East Garden. 💃Tour route: From the entrance of Shen Garden scenic area 🚪 enter ➡ ancient relics area 👀 (visit various ancient buildings and relics) ➡ East Garden 🎑 (a garden themed on love) ➡ South Garden 💐 (beautiful natural scenery). ✨Attraction recommendations: 📍Shen Garden's top ten sights ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Including Poetic Realm Garden, Wenmei Barrier, Qintai, etc., each with its own characteristics, very worth seeing 😍. 📍"Hairpin Phoenix" Lyric Wall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Experience the love story of Lu You and Tang Wan 🥺. 📍Shuanggui Hall ⭐⭐⭐: Learn about the history and culture of Shen Garden 📚. 🍱Food recommendations: 👉Shaoxing rice wine 😜: Taste the local specialty wine. 👉Stinky tofu 🤤: Delicious. 👉Meigan cai pork belly 🥩: Rich but not greasy. 🚗Transportation guide: 🚌You can take a bus to Shen Garden station. 🚕You can also choose to take a taxi. 🏨Accommodation recommendations: 🤩Nearby hotels or homestays, convenient for travel. 🎫Ticket cost: 40 yuan during the day. 🌸Shen Garden, full of historical and cultural atmosphere, is a very nice tourist destination 🤩. Come here and experience it 💕!

A dreamy intoxication. If you ask me about my favorite water town in the south of the Yangtze, my answer would be Shaoxing. The white walls and black tiles are infused with a resonant spirit that makes it hard not to fall in love with this place of outstanding people and magical land. For your first visit to Shaoxing, I suggest ticking off the central attractions all at once. Day 1: Lu Xun's Hometown + Shen Garden The two spots are close to each other and within walking distance. In between, there's a shop called Huijingxuan. I recommend trying their yellow wine ice pop and milk tea. Although a bit pricey, the taste is directly next level. Day 2: Sage of Calligraphy's Hometown + Fushan Park + Cangqiao Straight Street Fushan Park is not crowded with tourists, but the scenery is quite nice, and many locals come here to exercise and walk their dogs. Down the hill is Cangqiao Straight Street. Although it's quite commercialized, it's still nice to stroll around and pass the time. Most attractions in Shaoxing do not charge an entrance fee, which is very appealing. Accommodations are also inexpensive. I suggest finding one near a subway station.

I went to Shaoxing at the end of May and the beginning of June, and since then she has been lingering in my mind😍. Here, there are green bricks and tiles, leisurely awnings, small bridges and flowing water, which is simply synonymous with the water town of Jiangnan😘, which makes me linger and always want to go again. And there are also free sightseeing activities recently, from January 26 to March 31, 2024, 68+ scenic spots are free💰! 🚗Three-day and two-night tour route: Day1: Lu Xun's Hometown Scenic Area - Shen Garden - Bazi Bridge - Donghu - Cangqiao Straight Street (Night Tour) Day2: Xu Wei Art Museum - Qingteng Book House - Book Sage's Hometown - Anchang Ancient Town Day3: Orchid Pavilion 🚙Travel: Self-driving 🏠Accommodation: Near Lu Xun's Hometown 📢Travel Tips: 1. 💯Lu Xun's Hometown Scenic Area: No need to say more, must go! Feel the Jiangnan in Lu Xun's pen. 2. 🌸Shen Garden: Adjacent to Lu Xun's hometown, those who like gardens can go and see. 3. 🏞Bazi Bridge: Few people and beautiful scenery, highly recommended! 4. 🌌Donghu: In addition to the charm of the water town of Jiangnan, there are also cliff rocks, very unique (you can take a awning boat, 40 yuan/person). 5. 🌃Cangqiao Straight Street: Go at night, don't go too late. 6. 🖼Xu Wei Art Museum: A paradise for calligraphy and painting lovers, and it is also very photogenic. 7. 🏡Qingteng Book House: Xu Wei's birthplace, next to the Art Museum, you can visit together. 8. 🤩Book Sage's Hometown: The Internet celebrity bridge is here, and there are other attractions such as the ink pool. 9. 💖Anchang Ancient Town: Highly recommended! The original ancient town! 10. 📜Orchid Pavilion: Those who have practiced calligraphy in their student days must come and feel the cultural heritage here. If you come in summer, you can also see lotus flowers and leaves! Don't miss the Orchid Pavilion Calligraphy Museum! Come to Shaoxing for a free play🎊!

In the 5th year of traveling, I visited Shaoxing 7 times, averaging once or twice a year. I love the Jiangnan region, but I love Shaoxing even more. I've always been fond of Jiangnan since I was young, and as soon as I grew up and could travel on my own, I went to Jiangnan countless times, but it was always Hangzhou and Suzhou, never Shaoxing. It wasn't until the autumn of 2017, while sitting on the high-speed train from Yiwu to Hangzhou, that I passed by a city with pink walls, black tiles, and small bridges over flowing water, which struck my heart. I quickly took out my phone to check the map - where was this place? The map showed it was Shaoxing. From that moment on, the initial image of Shaoxing took root in my heart. Three months later, I made a special trip to Shaoxing. As the year was drawing to a close, the winter in Shaoxing was misty with drizzling rain. Walking on the stone-paved roads with an umbrella, looking at the old residential buildings on both sides of the river, I felt a warm and familiar sensation, as if I had been there before. Ah, this is the Jiangnan in my heart. I had been searching for Jiangnan in Hangzhou and Suzhou, not realizing that the real Jiangnan was in Shaoxing. Pushing open the wooden door of the homestay I had booked in advance, the decoration of the old Shaoxing residence greeted me. The flower and pot on the table, the dim light... I seemed to have walked into the old times of Shaoxing. Holding a pot of warm, fine Shaoxing yellow wine given by the owner, I took a sip. It warmed my heart and stomach, and my first date with Shaoxing began amidst this tender warmth. For the first time, I visited Shen Garden, exploring the love story of Lu You and Tang Wan. During my studies, I had shed tears over their love and hate several times. Now, walking among the grass and trees of Shen Garden, I imagined their feelings and appearances back then. For the first time, I visited the former residence of Lu Xun, the Sanwei Study. Finally, I arrived at the master's hometown. It was so beautiful. Although Lu Xun's writing was powerful, his family home was so gentle and graceful. For the first time, I visited Kong Yiji's tavern, chewing on fennel beans and revisiting Kong Yiji's articles, imagining the scenes of that time, and feeling deeply moved. For the first time, I visited the Orchid Pavilion, seeing where Wang Xizhi wrote the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion. Reading the Preface inscribed on the Orchid Pavilion stele, although I had read it countless times, this time was different. The artistic conception was profound. For the first time, I visited the ancient town of Anchang. The festive atmosphere of the town amazed me. Rows of cured meat, soy sauce ducks, and the extended market along the river with a dazzling array of New Year goods suddenly brought back the atmosphere of celebrating the New Year in my childhood. It was wonderful. For the first time, I tasted Shaoxing cuisine and couldn't stop ever since. Endless nostalgia, my favorites are drunken chicken, drunken shrimp, and 'Shaoxing Three Delicacies.' I eat them every time I go. I love Shaoxing cuisine so much, the aftertaste lingers. For the first time, I tasted Shaoxing's pastries, sticky and sweet, with a rich variety. Truly a paradise for heavy sticky food lovers. For the first time, I tasted Shaoxing's yellow wine popsicle, only then realizing that popsicles could be spiked with alcohol. The taste was incredibly unique, quite intoxicating. For the first time, I took a ride on Shaoxing's black-awning boat, slowly swaying between the rivers, watching the black and white old buildings on both sides, immersed in the misty rain of Jiangnan, romantic feelings surged, making one unable to resist expressing them in words. For the first time, I walked through Shaoxing's old alleys, seeing the coal stoves outside the pink-walled and black-tiled old houses, watching the old grandmother washing clothes in the river, observing the handwritten signs of the yellow wine shops, and the time-honored pastry shops. This is the lively atmosphere of old Shaoxing, seeping into one's heart. For the first time, wearing a cheongsam and holding an oil-paper umbrella, I took my first set of retro photos on the old alley's bluestone road, which reminded me of Dai Wangshu's 'Rain Alley' and the girl with the oil-paper umbrella. Shaoxing encapsulates the scenery of Jiangnan, the misty rain of Jiangnan, the poetic charm of Jiangnan, the grace of Jiangnan, the small bridges and flowing waters of Jiangnan, the stories of Jiangnan. Once I came here, I could never let go of Shaoxing. Until the 7th visit, my feelings for Shaoxing remained as before, as fresh, curious, and affectionate as the first time I stepped into Shaoxing. The 7 times are not the point, I will come again~