Dongguan Keyuan Garden—A Blessed Land to Envy, A Heavenly Palace to Boast!

🌍 Attraction Name: Dongguan Keyuan Garden 📍 Location: No. 32 Keyuan Road, Guancheng District, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province 👀 Unique Features: Dongguan Keyuan Garden is one of the four famous gardens of Lingnan from the Qing Dynasty. Covering only 2,200 square meters, it feels like a "mountain forest within arm’s reach," integrating residence, courtyard, and study. Its layout resembles "connected houses and mansions," with scenic spots in empty spaces and no voids in sparse areas. Many pavilions and towers in the garden are named with the character "Ke." It was once the birthplace of the Lingnan painting school and is known as a "living fossil of Lingnan gardens." ✅ Main Highlights: Shuangqing Room: The floor and window lattices are decorated with the character "Ya," symbolizing good fortune. It was an elegant place where scholars composed poetry and painted. Yaoshan Pavilion: The highest point in the garden. Climbing the pavilion offers a panoramic view of the garden and distant mountains, with a clever design allowing cool breezes to pass through. 🌟 Best Time to Visit: September to November 👀 Special Scenery: The pleasant autumn climate fills the garden with the fragrance of osmanthus flowers, and the lake is covered with lotus leaves. Combined with the interplay of light and shadow on Lingnan architecture, it’s perfect for photography and check-ins. During public holidays like Spring Festival and National Day, the ancient architecture area is open for free, allowing visitors to experience the festive atmosphere. 🌟 Recommended One-Day Tour Route 🌞 Morning: Cultural Exploration Entrance Group: Start the tour from the Bohong Pavilion (a charming pavilion for peeling lychees), and enjoy the poetic atmosphere of Lingnan fruit trees and the curved pond reflecting the moon. Shuangqing Room → Kexuan: Admire the "Ya" character structure in Shuangqing Room and experience the ancient wisdom of "underground ventilation" for summer cooling in Kexuan. 🌇 Afternoon: Climb High and Look Far Yaoshan Pavilion: Climb to the top for a bird’s-eye view of the entire garden and a distant view of Dongguan city, feeling the poetic scene of "a great river crossing in front, the bright moon shining straight in." Chuyue Pool Hall → Wenhua Courtyard: Enjoy moon viewing at the lakeside boat hall and savor the literary charm of "a century of heartfelt questions to flowers" in the small courtyard. 🌙 Evening: Nearby Leisure Walk to Guancheng Old Street to experience night market snacks and Lingnan street life. 🌼 Must-Visit Spots 🎭 Attraction Name: Bohong Pavilion 👨‍🏫 Special Story: This pavilion is named after "Bohong" (peeling lychees). The garden owner Zhang Jingxiu once enjoyed fresh lychees here with guests. Lychee trees were once planted beside the pavilion, allowing people to pick fruit by hand. Although the trees no longer exist, the elegant pastime of "Bohong" is still celebrated. 🎭 Attraction Name: Lvqi Tower 👨‍🏫 Special Story: The tower once housed the famous Tang Dynasty zither "Lvqi Tai." Zhang Jingxiu played the zither here to entertain friends, and female family members lived in this tower, hence it was called the "Miss Tower." The sound of the zither blended with the garden, fully displaying elegance. 🦀 Food Specialty: Houjie Sausage 🈵 Flavor Profile: Traditional Dongguan air-dried sausage, a blend of salty and sweet with a strong wine aroma, perfect with claypot rice! 🏠 Recommended Restaurant: "Heji Lawei Shop" on Guancheng Old Street (a local favorite). 🦀 Food Specialty: Humen Crab in Sauce 🈵 Flavor Profile: Full of crab roe, steamed or stir-fried with ginger and scallions, fresh and sweet with original flavor! 🏠 Recommended Restaurant: Humen Xinwan Food Street (Bamboo Shed Seafood Stall, freshly caught and cooked). 🚅 Recommended Transport Option 1: Bus Routes: Bus No. 4, 7, 28, etc., to "Keyuan" stop, fare 2 yuan, direct to the attraction entrance. 🚕 Recommended Transport Option 2: Self-Drive Navigation: Set destination to "Dongguan Keyuan Museum," free parking available, arrive early on holidays. 🏨 Recommended Hotel: Dongguan Yingbin Hotel 🏠 Features: A garden-style five-star hotel, a 10-minute walk to Keyuan Garden, combining ancient style with modern facilities. 🚗 Best Location: Center of Guancheng District, convenient for visiting Keyuan Garden and nearby historic streets. 👧 Notes: The garden has many green brick steps and winding paths; non-slip shoes are recommended, and children should be accompanied at all times. Mosquitoes are more common in summer; bring insect repellent. Free guided tours (10:00-16:30) are available, suitable for children to listen to historical stories. 📌 Practical Information Tickets: 8 yuan for the ancient architecture area (free on holidays), comprehensive hall area free. Opening Hours: 9:00-17:30 (closed on Tuesdays except holidays).