Complete Guide to Visiting Qinghui Garden

【Introduction】 Qinghui Garden is located in Daliang Subdistrict, Shunde District, Foshan City. It is the foremost of the Four Great Gardens of Lingnan and is acclaimed as one of the "Four Great Gardens of Guangdong." This classical garden, originally built during the Ming Dynasty, is renowned for its "clear waters and elegant scenery." It integrates Ming and Qing architectural art, the essence of Jiangnan gardens, and the characteristics of the Pearl River Delta water towns. The garden features pavilions, towers, rockeries, ponds, and ancient trees that complement each other. It also houses rare artifacts such as Qing Dynasty imported polychrome glass and century-old shell windows, making it a living museum of Lingnan gardens. In the summer of 2025, Qinghui Garden will launch a series of "Garden Therapy" cultural and creative activities and special guided tours, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the innovative charm of traditional culture while appreciating the ancient elegance. 🕘【Opening Hours】 • Regular hours: ◦ Front Garden: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (free admission, no reservation required); ◦ Qinghui Garden Museum (Inner Garden): 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM (last entry at 5:00 PM), closed every Monday (except public holidays). • Special summer arrangements: ◦ In July, 10 special guided tours (themes include history, ancient architecture, gardens, flora and fauna) will be held daily at 10:00 AM and 2:30 PM at the "Central Explanation Area" beside the Lotus Pond, open for on-site participation. 💴【Ticket Prices】 • Inner Garden tickets: ◦ Adult ticket: 15 RMB per person; Student ticket: 7 RMB per person (valid student ID required); ◦ Free admission for: Shunde residents, seniors aged 65 and above, active military personnel, persons with disabilities, and others with valid identification. • Ticket purchase: ◦ Tickets can be booked in advance via the official WeChat public account "Foshan Shunde District Qinghui Garden Museum" or purchased on-site by scanning the QR code; no ticket exchange is needed, just scan to enter. ⛺【Activities】 🌟 Core Experiences and Featured Highlights 1. Tour of Ancient Architectural Art: ◦ Boat Hall: A two-story wooden boat modeled after the "Zidong Boat" of the Pearl River, with sand willows and wisteria at the bow resembling ropes, and window lattices inlaid with exquisite Lingnan fruit wood carvings. It is known as the "Number One Boat Hall in Lingnan." ◦ Chengyi Pavilion: A hexagonal pavilion standing over water, with eight folding screen doors framing different water views. The windows are embedded with 300-year-old shell "Ming tiles," creating poetic light and shadow effects when sunlight filters through. ◦ Bixi Thatched Cottage: Inside the hall, the "Hundred Longevity" brick carvings conceal subtle tricks, and the century-old longan tree in front witnesses the rise and fall of five generations of the Long family. ◦ Fenglai Peak: Composed of six stacked Taihu stones shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings, blending with surrounding greenery to form an ink-wash painting-like scene. 2. The Beauty of East-West Fusion Details: ◦ Qing Dynasty Polychrome Glass: The colored glass in the Boat Hall and Zhuangyuan Hall features European imported etching techniques, remaining vivid after a century, and is a rare garden decoration treasure nationwide. ◦ Gray Sculpture Murals: The gray sculptures on door lintels and corridor pillars depict Lingnan flowers, birds, and mythological stories, with rich colors and strong three-dimensional effects, such as the "Su Wu Herding Sheep" gray sculpture in Muying Stream. 3. Summer Exclusive Experiences: ◦ Fragrance Map Interaction: At the Muying Stream exhibition area, visitors can "smell" the four seasonal fragrances of Qinghui Garden (spring orchid, summer lotus, autumn osmanthus, winter plum) using a neck-worn scent player, complemented by diffuser installations, making the garden's beauty tangible. ◦ Garden Therapy Cultural Products: Designed by the South China Agricultural University team, products like aromatherapy and incense extract scents from garden plants and can be taken home as souvenirs. 4. Family Fun Activities: ◦ Koi Feeding: The square pond is home to many koi fish. Visitors can buy fish food (5 RMB per pack) at the entrance and enjoy interacting with the fish. ◦ Study Handbook Check-in: Collect the "Qinghui Trail Book," complete garden knowledge quizzes as guided, and exchange collected stamps for commemorative badges. 🚌【Transportation Guide】 1. Metro Priority: ◦ From Guangzhou: ◦ Take Metro Line 7 (towards Guangzhou South Station) → transfer to Foshan Metro Line 3 (towards Shunde College) → get off at Daliang Zhonglou Station Exit E, then walk 450 meters to the garden, about 45 minutes total. ◦ From Shenzhen: ◦ Take high-speed train to Shunde Station (about 1 hour, ticket price 80 RMB) → taxi for 15 minutes or transfer to bus 304A/306 direct route, about 20 minutes travel. 2. Convenient Bus: ◦ Qinghui Garden Station: Served by over 10 routes including 301, 305, 309, 319, etc., with the garden’s main entrance right at the stop. 3. Driving Tips: ◦ Parking: Southeast Gate parking lot (6 RMB/hour), Hongsheng International Cinema parking lot (5 RMB/hour). On holidays, arrive early or park in nearby commercial areas. ◦ Traffic restrictions: No reservation needed on weekdays; green travel is recommended on weekends and holidays to avoid congestion. 👉【Itinerary Suggestions】 🌞 One-Day Tour Recommendation • Morning: 09:00 Arrive at Qinghui Garden, enter through the main gate → visit Octagonal Wall Split Pool, Qiming Residence → join the 10:00 special guided tour to deeply learn garden history. 11:30 Head to Huagai Road pedestrian street, check in at the "Qinghui Yuxiu" archway, and photograph the arcade street scene. • Noon: 12:30 Taste double-skin milk and fried milk at Minxin Old Shop (Huagai Road branch), or try ginger milk at Renxin Old Shop (Qinghui Road branch), about 20 RMB per person. • Afternoon: 14:00 Return to Qinghui Garden, focus on visiting Boat Hall and Bixi Thatched Cottage → participate in the 14:30 "Garden Plant Guided Tour" to learn about Lingnan ancient trees. 16:00 Go to Jinbang Shangjie, try "Aunt He’s Ge Water" (reed root sugarcane water) and "Abu Lemon Tea" (bitter melon lemon tea), experience local street life. • Evening: 18:30 Walk to Shunfengshan Park, climb Qingyun Tower to overlook Shunde night view → or take a taxi to Overseas Chinese Town Happy Coast PLUS to experience the Ferris wheel "Shunde Eye" and feel the modern urban vitality. 🏨 Accommodation Recommendations 1. Premium Choice: ◦ Shunde Midea Marriott Hotel (1.2 km away): Five-star hotel with spacious rooms, heated swimming pool, and Cantonese restaurant. Summer room rates start at 800 RMB/night, including breakfast. 2. Cost-effective Options: ◦ Ruitao Hotel (800 meters away): Duplex apartment-style hotel with buffet breakfast and free parking, starting at 150 RMB per person, 10-minute walk to Qinghui Garden. ◦ 7 Days Premium (Qinghui Garden branch): Near Daliang Zhonglou Metro Station, starting at 120 RMB per person, offers free shuttle to the garden. 3. Unique Experience: ◦ Old Street Inn (560 meters away): Vintage-style guesthouse with rooms featuring terraces and audio-visual equipment, 5-minute walk to Jinbang Shangjie, starting at 180 RMB per person, pet-friendly. 🧡【Preparation Before Visit】 1. Documents and Reservations: ◦ Shunde residents must bring ID for verification; student tickets require original student ID; students from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan can use travel permits to purchase tickets. ◦ Guided tours require no reservation, just gather on time at the site; "Fragrance Map" experience is free and available directly at the exhibition area. 2. Packing List: ◦ Wear comfortable sports shoes (many stone paths in the garden), recommended to wear light-colored Hanfu or traditional Chinese clothing (great for photos at Boat Hall and Chengyi Pavilion). ◦ In summer, bring sun hats and sunglasses (few shaded areas); in winter, bring a light jacket (cool breeze by the river in the evening). ◦ Carry cash (some snack stalls accept cash only) and a power bank (charging points mainly in malls). 3. Notes: ◦ Be a civilized visitor: climbing rockeries and feeding non-koi fish are prohibited; photography is not allowed inside exhibition halls. ◦ Avoid peak times: peak visitor hours on holidays are 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM; it is recommended to visit on weekday mornings or after 4:00 PM for better photos with fewer crowds. 🍽️【Food Highlights】 • Must-try Shunde Flavors: ◦ Double-skin milk: Minxin Old Shop’s "cold double-skin milk" is tender and sweet; Renxin Old Shop’s "hot double-skin milk" is rich and creamy, especially good with red beans. ◦ Fish skin: The cold fish skin at "Ximei Five-Spice Beef Offal" is crisp and flavorful; paired with radish beef offal, it’s a classic combo. ◦ Wumi Porridge Hotpot: Near "Huanji Jinbang Milk," porridge-based hotpot with fresh fish slices and beef, sweet and fresh without fishy smell. • Hidden Menu: ◦ Jinbang Milk: At "Huanji" on Jinbang Shangjie, watch fresh milk being made on-site; salty milk slices with white porridge are a delicacy. ◦ Lunjiao Cake: "Huang Danji" offers white sugar Lunjiao cake, sweet and soft with added osmanthus fragrance. • Popular Desserts: ◦ Abu Lemon Tea: Bitter melon lemon tea is refreshing and cooling; dried tangerine peel lemon tea is sweet and tangy. Though queues are long, it’s worth trying. Qinghui Garden uniquely embodies the charm of Lingnan in one garden, where history and nature blend. Whether wandering among carved beams and painted rafters to appreciate ancient craftsmanship or savoring the new charm of the garden amid floral and literary fragrances, here you can deeply experience Shunde’s cultural heritage and lifestyle aesthetics.