The Royal Garden in downtown Fuzhou is worth visiting even in the rain

Braving the drizzle, we visited Fuzhou South Park, which is located in the downtown area and full of ancient charm. Take a stroll along the bank of Huichun Lake, and you can see the rippling lake water, the real and illusory rockery, the leisurely boats waiting for your turn, the quaint pavilions and corridors, the old banyan trees with deep roots and lush leaves... It's like you are walking in a painting. This was once the villa garden of Geng Jimao, King of Jingnan in the early Qing Dynasty. There are many pavilions and terraces in the garden. You can see a pavilion every few steps, and each pavilion has its own classic story, which is worth savoring slowly. 1⃣ Huichun Lake: The sky is high and the clouds are light, and the water is gurgling. Since the establishment of the Royal Garden in the Qing Dynasty for more than 300 years, the outline of the lake has not changed much, witnessing the history of South Park. Today, the lake has a total area of ​​more than 7,000 square meters, and it is winding and spectacular. There is an island in the center of the lake. 2⃣Huichun Garden: During the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Governor Wang Kaitai of Fujian ordered the restoration of South Park, planted many plum blossoms, and changed the name of the park to "Huichun Garden". The current Huichun Garden is a garden within a garden. It preserves all the existing large trees in the garden and uses plum blossoms as the theme plant, with varieties including weeping plum, red plum, etc. There are also the Loyalty Pavilion, Zuogong Pavilion and Zuogong Temple Monument in the park. 3⃣Quying Hanxiang: A 100-meter-long corridor with a full wooden structure and Su-style painted beams. The natural landscapes, flowers, birds, fish and insects painted here are lifelike and varied in appearance. It is the main landscape corridor connecting the atrium and the backyard (Huichun Garden), and is one of the longest and most beautiful ancient corridors in Fuzhou. 4⃣Asking about the Plum Pavilion: During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, Wang Kaitai, the governor of Fujian, ordered the reconstruction of the South Park and planted thirteen plum trees in the park, which was renamed "Huichun Garden". The garden has pavilions and terraces in various shapes and the lake is clear. It is known as the Suzhou Garden and attracts many tourists on fine days in spring and autumn. 5⃣Ryukyu Pavilion: During the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, Fuzhou Port became the imperial court's designated port for foreign tribute trade. Through this port, the court conducted tribute trade with Ryukyu and set up Rouyuan Posthouse near South Park to receive guests and merchants from the Ryukyu Kingdom who came to China to pay tribute. Until the end of the Qing Dynasty, after the Ryukyu tribute envoys landed in Fuzhou, they usually stayed at Rouyuan Posthouse before going to the capital to meet the Chinese emperor. South Park was a witness to the "tribute trade" at that time, and today it is a place of nostalgia for the Ryukyu people from Fujian. 6⃣Tenghua Pavilion: It was rebuilt according to historical records. A half pavilion was built against the wall. Wisteria was planted around the pavilion. Wisteria blooms in spring with purple butterfly-shaped corollas and purple or dark purple flowers. It is a native plant in Fuzhou. 7⃣ Lianli Pavilion: The two pavilions are combined into one, and they depend on each other for life and death, which means "May all lovers in the world get married" and "May we be lovebirds in the sky and intertwined branches on the ground." It is said that single men and women can find their true love by climbing up the Lianli Pavilion. 8⃣ Sangzhe Pavilion: In the 5th year of Tongzhi reign of Qing Dynasty (1866), Zuo Zongtang, the Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang, established the Fujian Mulberry and Cotton Bureau in the park to promote the development of mulberry and cotton textile industry. Later it was renamed the Agriculture and Sericulture Bureau. In the early years of the Republic of China, Xu Shiying, the governor of Fujian, renamed it Sangzhe Pavilion and inscribed it, advocating silkworm breeding and mulberry planting. Today, the Sangzhe Pavilion has been rebuilt and mulberry trees have been planted on both sides of it to commemorate the historical officials who were concerned with the people's livelihood. 9⃣"Please use domestic products" stone tablet: In the early 20th century, foreign goods flooded the Fuzhou market and domestic industries went bankrupt one after another. In the 8th year of the Republic of China (1919), various sectors of society launched a movement to boycott Japanese goods, and established the "National Products Exhibition Hall" in South Park, and erected a stone tablet with the words "Please Use National Products" on the side of the hall. Today, the Guohuo Road at the gate of the park got its name from this. 1⃣0⃣Taijiang Folk Museum: It houses a permanent exhibition "Taijiang - Historical Heritage and Memory Exhibition", which is divided into three sections: cultural origins, folk customs, and folk customs. 📝Note tips: If you are interested, you can also take a Fuzhou boat at the inland cruise terminal, leisurely cruise from South Park to Yingzhou River, and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the river. The route is about 1.5 kilometers long and the flight time is about 20 minutes. The one-way fare is 48 yuan per person and the round-trip fare is 68 yuan per person. If there is a discount, you can enjoy the promotional price. Route operation time: 10:00-18:00 on weekdays, 9:00-18:00 on weekends and holidays 📍Location: No. 309, Guohuo West Road, Taijiang District, Fuzhou City 🚉Transportation: Take bus No. 8, 29, 60, 76, 77, 81, 97, 101, 109, 112, 169, 173, 179, 301, 302, 313, 316, 351, etc. and get off at "Nan Park" station 👉Tickets: Free