[2025 Suzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Quyuan Garden (Updated May)

#discoverchina Why It’s Special? 📜 Home of Yu Yue (俞樾) – Qing Dynasty’s Greatest Scholar - Built in 1874 by the famed Confucianist (1821–1907), who wrote 500+ books here. - A UNESCO-listed garden showcasing "poor scholar’s aesthetics" – modest size but profound design. 📍 Location: No. 43 Renmin Road, Gusu District, Suzhou 🕒 Hours: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Apr–Oct) | 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Nov–Mar) 🎫 Admission: Free 🚇 Metro: Line 1/4 to Leqiao Station, Exit 4 (5-min walk)

The Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou is truly magnificent! It's important to visit when there are fewer people. If you can't get up early, going in the afternoon is a good option as the crowd is not overwhelming and it's quite manageable. You can enjoy exploring until the garden closes. #Suzhou #SuzhouAttractions #SuzhouGardens

The morning was overcast, but the forecast promised sunshine in the afternoon, so I eagerly set out to admire the flowers. First, I went to Dinghui Temple. The purple magnolias were already in bloom, creating a beautiful picture against the yellow walls. My pursuit of magnolias led me to Shizi Street, but sadly, the white magnolias were already fading. Walking to Leqiao Bridge, I found purple violets blooming on both sides. Entering Yi Garden, I saw magnolia petals scattered all around. Strolling through Qu Garden, I spotted a few blossoms. In Dong Garden, a pear tree was in full bloom.

🌸 Bloom Forecast Suzhou's magnolias have entered their peak viewing period! From early to mid-March is the peak blooming season. The blooming period for a single flower is only 10–15 days. The whole city has entered "white-out" mode. Once you miss it, you'll have to wait until next year! 📸 Must-See Spots 1. Qu Garden • Features: This is a free and less-crowded garden! Two ancient magnolias bloom brilliantly beside the "Chun Zai Tang" hall. The branches are vigorous and powerful, and the white flowers are as pure as snow. With fewer people and beautiful scenery, the photogenic rate is extremely high, reaching 100%. • Address: No. 43, Mayike Alley, Gusu District • Opening Hours: 09:00–16:30 • Tickets: Free 2. Master of the Nets Garden • Features: This garden boasts the best magnolia viewing in Suzhou! The white magnolias in front of the Wanjuan Hall complement the black tiles and carved windows. The saucer magnolias display a gradient of pink and white, creating a classical filter effect. • Address: No. 11, Kuojiatou Alley, Gusu District • Tickets: CNY 30 3. Twin Pagodas of Luohanyuan Temple • Features: For only CNY 8, you can unlock the unique view of "twin pagodas + twin magnolias"! Magnolias cascade down like a waterfall. Against the backdrop of the blue sky and ancient pagodas, you can instantly capture stunning photos. This is a hidden spring romance cherished by Suzhou locals. • Address: No. 22, Dinghui Temple Alley, Gusu District • Tickets: CNY 8 4. Yi Garden • Features: The waterfront magnolias are unique! White flowers under the Luoji Pavilion are reflected in the clear water. There are also "fairy cats" roaming around, adding to the charm. • Address: Exit 8, Leqiao Subway Station, Gusu District • Tickets: CNY 15 5. Shizi Street • Features: The best street-side magnolia viewing! You can "walk the flower path" on your way to work. Looking up, you'll see trees full of blossoms, a blend of daily life and poetic beauty. • Address: Shizi Street Intersection 📷 Photography Tips • Time: The light is softest in the morning or evening. Avoid the harsh midday sun! • Composition: When shooting magnolias in gardens, use the "framing method" (such as carved windows or doorways). For street-side magnolias, shoot upwards to avoid crowds. • Outfit: Light-colored Hanfu or solid-color sweaters, paired with pearl earrings or oil-paper umbrellas, will instantly create a traditional Chinese aesthetic for your social media posts! ⚠️ Important Notes 1. Short Blooming Period: The peak blooming period is only two weeks long. It is recommended to visit before March 15. 2. Avoid Crowds: For gardens, it is recommended to enter before 8:30. For the Twin Pagodas, you can shoot the blue hour in the evening. 3. Transportation: Parking is difficult in the old town. Taking the subway and walking is the most convenient way (recommended: Line 4, Beisita Pagoda Station; Line 1, Lindun Road Station). 🌟 "When magnolias bloom, Suzhou transforms into Gusu. With black tiles as paper and magnolias as paint, the entire city is filled with the poetic charm of Jiangnan."

🚗 Transportation to the attraction: [Metro] Metro: Take Line 1/4 to Exit 8 of Leqiao Station, and walk about 600m to arrive Take Line 4 to Exit 1B of Chayuanchang Station, and walk about 500m to arrive 🗓 Route arrangement: (The place is not big, see p2 for the guide map) Sedan Hall ➼ Lezhi Hall ➼ Chunzai Hall ➼ Renchunxuan ➼ Dazhai ➼ (Looking back) Chunzai Hall ➼ Xiaozhuli Pavilion ➼ Back to the entrance 💰 Tickets: Free 👍️ Recommended check-in points: Lezhi Hall: A tourist photo, straight shot, p1, p10 also Chunzai Hall backyard: core attraction, simple but not without charm. p3-p5 Chun Zai Tang: The mirror in Chun Zai Tang is suitable for taking portraits. The winter plum blossoms in front of the door are nice. I like them very much. p6-p9 Xiaozhuliguan: a small gate in the bamboo forest, just check in. p11 📝Note tips: If you go to see wintersweets, please pay attention to the blooming time of wintersweets.

| Fragrant wintersweet in ancient gardens, beautiful even in the cold! "Wintersweet, with its natural fragrance, is not common. Butterflies and bees chase after it, and the honey is ripe." Without any warning, without any hesitation, a faint fragrance fills the air. This is the season of wintersweet. In the coldest days of winter, it's rare to see the sun. Take a stroll in the Suzhou gardens and enjoy the rare good mood. Walk under the wintersweet trees, and the refreshing fragrance of the flowers will come to you, making you feel relaxed and happy. From time to time, some passers-by are attracted by the fragrance and come to feel the rich fragrance of wintersweet. The wintersweet in winter is different from the spring flowers in the sun and the summer flowers in full bloom. It is the proud flower that blooms in the cold, the tenacity that faces the cold winter, and the most beautiful and charming scenery in the bleak winter. In recent days, there have been many tourists in Suzhou to enjoy and take photos of wintersweet. We recommend several gardens, such as Jushilin, Yiyuan, and Quyuan, where the wintersweet is in full bloom, dancing in the wind, and is very lovely. Each wintersweet is showing its graceful posture, adding color and fragrance to the dull winter! In addition, there are early spring flowers and trees such as red plum, camellia, and bonsai in the garden for visitors to enjoy. In addition to enjoying the flowers and trees, visitors can also take a break in the pavilions and enjoy the leisurely winter time!

Qu Garden, also known as the Former Residence of Yu Yue, is located at No. 43 Mayike, Renmin Road, Pingjiang District, Suzhou. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit. In 1954, Yu Yue's great-grandson, the famous Redology scholar Yu Pingbo, personally went to Suzhou to donate Qu Garden to the Suzhou government. It is now open to the public for free. A wintersweet tree in full bloom in front of the Chun Zai Hall attracts many visitors to take photos.

I'm in Xinjiang, but my heart is still in Suzhou. Who can relate? I really want to go back to Suzhou. 😭 👉The gardens of Suzhou, Jiangsu, are a treasure of Chinese garden art. With their unique design, exquisite architecture, ingenious landscapes, and rich cultural connotations, they attract countless tourists. 🌟 Highlights: Whether you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery or experience history, the gardens of Suzhou are a great choice. Despite the many attractions of the gardens of Suzhou, there are still problems with their protection and maintenance. Some gardens have suffered from a lack of effective management and maintenance for a long time, resulting in serious aging of some facilities and even damage. This not only affects the beautiful scenery of the gardens, but also damages their historical and cultural value. We should strengthen the protection and maintenance of the gardens of Suzhou to ensure that these precious cultural heritages are properly protected and passed on. At the same time, we should also strengthen the promotion of the gardens of Suzhou to let more people know and appreciate this unique cultural heritage. In future development, the gardens of Suzhou should continue to adhere to their unique design concepts and styles, while constantly innovating and improving to meet the aesthetic needs of modern people. The gardens of Suzhou, Jiangsu, are a treasure of Chinese garden art. With their unique design, exquisite architecture, ingenious landscapes, and rich cultural connotations, they attract countless tourists. Whether you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery or experience history, the gardens of Suzhou are a great choice. Despite the many attractions of the gardens of Suzhou, there are still problems with their protection and maintenance. Some gardens have suffered from a lack of effective management and maintenance for a long time, resulting in serious aging of some facilities and even damage. This not only affects the beautiful scenery of the gardens, but also damages their historical and cultural value. We should strengthen the protection and maintenance of the gardens of Suzhou to ensure that these precious cultural heritages are properly protected and passed on. At the same time, we should also strengthen the promotion of the gardens of Suzhou to let more people know and appreciate this unique cultural heritage. In future development, the gardens of Suzhou should continue to adhere to their unique design concepts and styles, while constantly innovating and improving to meet the aesthetic needs of modern people.

Suzhou Gardens in Jiangsu, China, are a treasure of ancient Chinese garden art and traditional private garden architecture. Most of these gardens were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties and have a profound historical and cultural heritage and unique artistic style. Suzhou Gardens are uniquely designed, emphasizing the combination of natural beauty and artificial beauty. The elements of mountains, water, stones, flowers, trees, pavilions, terraces, buildings, and pavilions in the garden are integrated to form a harmonious and tranquil atmosphere. This design not only reflects the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, but also expresses people's yearning and pursuit of a better life. Most of them use traditional wooden structure buildings, with bricks, stones, and wood as the main materials, with beautiful shapes and smooth lines. Designers cleverly use elements such as landscapes, plants, and buildings to create many beautiful attractions. Suzhou Gardens also focus on the construction of cultural connotations. Many gardens have a rich historical and cultural background, such as the Humble Administrator's Garden, which was once the residence of Ming Dynasty painter Wen Zhengming, and the Lingering Garden, which was the former residence of Qing Dynasty literati Shen Fu. These historical and cultural backgrounds make Suzhou Gardens not only a beautiful scenery, but also a living history textbook. Suzhou Gardens in Jiangsu, China, are a treasure of Chinese garden art. With their unique design, exquisite architecture, exquisite landscape, and rich cultural connotations, they have attracted countless tourists. Whether it is to appreciate the beautiful scenery or to feel the history, Suzhou Gardens are a good choice. Although Suzhou Gardens have so many attractions, there are still problems in protection and maintenance. Some gardens have serious aging of some facilities due to long-term lack of effective management and maintenance, and even damage has occurred. This not only affects the beautiful landscape of the garden, but also damages the historical and cultural heritage of the garden. We should strengthen the protection and maintenance of Suzhou Gardens to ensure that these precious cultural heritages can be properly protected and inherited. At the same time, we should also strengthen the promotion and promotion of Suzhou Gardens to let more people understand and appreciate this unique cultural heritage. In future development, Suzhou Gardens should continue to adhere to their unique design concepts and styles, while also constantly innovating and improving to meet the aesthetic needs of modern people. Only in this way can Suzhou Gardens continue to carry forward in the new era and become one of the important representatives of Chinese culture. I want to say that whether you are a nature lover or a history and culture lover, Suzhou Gardens are a place worth visiting. Here, you can enjoy the beautiful natural scenery, feel the strong historical atmosphere, and experience the charm of Chinese traditional culture. So, if you have the opportunity to come to Suzhou, Jiangsu, don't miss this beautiful garden.

Quyuan is the former residence of Yu Yue, located at 43 Mayike, Renmin Road. Yu Yue (1821-1906), styled Yinfu, self-styled Quyuan Jushi, was from Deqing, Zhejiang. He became a Jinshi in the 30th year of the Daoguang reign (1850) and served as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Later, he was appreciated by Emperor Xianfeng and was appointed as the Xuezheng of Henan. He was impeached by Cao Dengyong, the imperial censor, for "separating the meaning of the test questions from the classics", and was therefore dismissed from office. He then moved to Suzhou and devoted himself to his studies for more than 40 years. He successively lectured at Suzhou Ziyang Academy, Hangzhou Gujing Jingshe, Deqing Qingxi Academy, Linghu Longhu Academy, Shanghai Qiuzhi Academy, etc. His studies were mainly based on the classics, but also included the studies of various schools, history, exegesis, and even opera, poetry, novels, calligraphy, etc., which can be described as profound and profound. There were many students from China and other countries such as Japan and North Korea who came to him for study, and they respected him as a master of Park Studies. Yu Yue was diligent in his studies throughout his life and wrote a lot of works, including "The Book in Front of the Hall in Spring", which is nearly 500 volumes.

Qu Garden is the former residence of Yu Yue, located at No. 43, People's Road, Veterinary Science. It was rated as a national key cultural relics protection unit in 2006, a Suzhou cultural relics protection unit in 1963, and a Jiangsu Province cultural relics protection unit in 1995. Qu Garden covers an area of 2,800 square meters, with the main house in the center, divided into five sections from south to north. To the east, several auxiliary rooms are built, separated from the main house by a lane, allowing mutual access. To the west and north are the pavilion and garden sections, forming a curved ruler shape, semi-enclosing the main house. The main house's entrance hall and sedan hall are both three rooms wide. The third section is the main hall of the entire residence, named 'Lezhi Hall', which is three rooms wide and five bays deep. It is the only large wooden structure in the residence that uses the flat beam lifting style, with relatively robust materials and simple and plain decorations. This was where Yu Yue received distinguished guests and held birthday celebrations and other festive events. The fourth and fifth sections are the inner residence, i.e., the living rooms, separated from the main hall by a firewall, and connected by a Shikumen in the middle; both are five rooms wide, with east and west wings running through the front and back, forming a quadrangle. To the west of Lezhi Hall is the 'Spring in Hall', which is three rooms wide and four bays deep. In front of the hall, there are lake stones and planted Chinese parasol trees, where Yu Yue used to meet friends and give lectures. To the south is the 'Xiaozhuli Pavilion', where Yu Yue used to read, with bamboo planted in the small courtyard to the south of the pavilion. To the north of the Spring in Hall is a small pavilion with a resting mountain top, named 'Ren Chun Pavilion'. To the north of the pavilion, flowers and trees are planted randomly, with a small mountain of stacked lake stones as a screen, with a winding mountain cave in the middle. There is a turn through the mountain cave, and in the northeast corner is the 'Genhuan', a two-room wide space that was the former qin room. Walking west along the corridor, there is a three-room 'Dazhai'. Leaving Dazhai and heading south along the corridor, there is a small pavilion surrounded by water on three sides, with the pond named 'Qu Pond' and the pavilion named 'Qu Shui'. To the east of the pond, there is a 'Huifeng Pavilion' on the artificial mountain facing the pavilion, with a small door in the artificial mountain originally connecting to the inner residence. The curved corridor to the south of the pavilion leads to the Spring in Hall. The small garden is only 200 square meters, with corridors and pavilions built, and the structure layout is winding and changeable, with a sense of grandeur in a small space. In 1954, Mr. Yu Pingbo, a famous scholar and great-grandson of Yu Yue, donated his great-grandfather's former residence to the public. In 1957, the Lezhi Hall, Spring in Hall, Xiaozhuli Pavilion, and the small garden were renovated. The former residence has been used by various units such as the City Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Opera Research Institute, the Pingtan Group, and the House of Science.

Quyuan is the former residence of the famous writer Yu Yue It was first built in the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. The name of the garden was taken from the meaning of "Bend to be complete" in Laozi. Yu Yue named it Quyuan and called himself the Old Man of Quyuan. Although Quyuan is small, its layout is well-organized and ingenious. Yu Yue designed it himself, using the curved terrain to dig a pond and stack stones, plant flowers and bamboo, and build more than 30 houses. Looking down from the air, the western garden area of ​​Qu Garden is shaped like a ruler, which is similar to the Chinese character "Qu" in seal script. The scenery in the garden is arranged according to the terrain, all starting with the character "Qu", with the wonderful meaning of "Qushui Liuchang". ✨ There are lake stones and sycamore trees in front of the hall, which was where Yu Yue met friends and gave lectures. To the south is the "Xiaozhuli Pavilion", where Yu Yue studied in the past. There are bamboos planted in the small courtyard south of the pavilion. To the north of Chunzaitang stands a small pavilion with a hip roof, named "Renchun Pavilion". There are various flowers and trees planted in the north of the pavilion, and a small hill of lake rocks serves as a screen, with a winding cave in the middle. There is a bend in the cave, and in the northeast corner is the "Genhuan" with a width of two rooms, which was the piano room in the past. Walking west along the corridor, there are three rooms named "Da Zhai". Walking south along the corridor from Dazhai, there is a small pavilion surrounded by water on three sides. The name of the pool is "Quchi" and the name of the pavilion is "Qushui". There is a "Huifeng Pavilion" on the rockery in the east of the pond, opposite to the pavilion. There was originally a small door in the rockery connecting to the inner house. The winding corridor south of the pavilion leads to the spring hall. The name "Chun Zai Tang" comes from the poem "Flowers Fall, Spring Remains" written by the owner when he took the Hanlin Examination. To the north of Chun Zai Tang, there is a small pavilion with a hip roof named "Ren Chun Pavilion". Xuanbei is the small garden in Quyuan. In the small area of ​​200 square meters, there is a pavilion, a pond, a pavilion and a pavilion: Qushui Pavilion, Qushui Pond, Huifeng Pavilion and Zaichun Pavilion, giving a feeling of seeing the wonder of a small scale. The Xiaozhuli Pavilion in the park is fresh and elegant This is Mr. Yu Yue’s study room. There are bamboos planted all around. The shadows of the bamboos sway gracefully, which is quiet and elegant. There is a small pavilion in the back garden facing the pond. There are rockeries stacked beside the pond, red plums leaning against it, and many koi fish are raised in the pond. 🐠🐟 There are few tourists, but the atmosphere of Suzhou is still there. Usually there are few tourists in the garden, but I often see a few grandfathers drinking tea and chatting, and children feeding fish. It is very leisurely and perfect for a leisurely stroll in the afternoon~ 📍Address: No. 43, Ma Yi Ke, Renmin Road, Gusu District 🚇Metro: Line 4 → Exit 1B of Chayuanchang Station → Walk for 5 minutes 🎫Tickets: Free, no reservation required 🕰Opening hours: 09:00-16:30

Qu Garden, the former residence of Yu Yue, is located in a small alley named Ma Yike Lane next to Guanqian Street, the commercial center of the ancient city of Suzhou. Its west and north sides are the pavilion garden area, forming a 'Zhi' (Chinese character for 'bend') shape, semi-encircling the main residence. Despite being in a bustling district, it is situated within a small alley, hence it is very tranquil. Qu Garden is a small garden where an ordinary residence and a classical garden blend seamlessly. The corridors, pavilions, pools, rockeries, and bamboo groves complement each other, filled with the unique charm of a late Qing Dynasty garden in the Jiangnan region.

Yu Yue's Former Residence, also known as Qu Garden, is located at No. 43, Renmin Road, Medical Science Alley, Gusu District. It is a quiet alley. It is the sixth batch of key national cultural relics protection units, from the Qing Dynasty, and is an important historical site and representative building of the modern era. Yu Yue's Former Residence was built in 1874. The residence faces south with a north orientation and consists of three routes and five sections. The middle route includes the entrance hall, sedan hall, Lezhi Hall, and the inner house; the first section of the west route is the study, the second is the side room, and the third is the Chunzai Hall; a small garden named 'Qu Garden' is constructed to the northwest. In 1954, Mr. Yu Pingbo, a famous scholar and great-grandson of Yu Yue, donated this former residence to the government. Many couplets presented by Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang can be seen in the hall. Qu Garden is free to visit, relatively niche, and smaller in area. The little cats in the garden are very cute and friendly to people.

Located at No. 43, Mayike Alley, Gusu District, Suzhou City, Qu Garden is the former residence of the famous literary master Yu Yue. In the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1874), Yu Yue purchased the land with the help of friends and designed it himself. Taking advantage of the winding terrain, he dug ponds, piled up rocks, planted flowers and bamboo, and built more than thirty pavilions. Drawing inspiration from the phrase 'what is bent will remain whole' from the Tao Te Ching, Yu Yue named this garden 'Qu Garden'. Yu Yue (December 25, 1821 – February 5, 1907) Styled Yinfu, self-named Qu Yuan Ju, the great-grandfather of the modern poet Yu Pingbo. Zhang Taiyan and Wu Changshuo were among his disciples. Zeng Guofan praised his two students: 'Li Hongzhang is desperate to be an official, Yu Yue is desperate to write books.' As soon as you enter Qu Garden, you are first attracted by the sound of bamboo on one side. Standing in the bamboo garden for a while, you suddenly understand 'One would rather have no meat than live without bamboo.' Turning the corner, you come across the winter sweet, and its beauty is overwhelming. The garden is really small but wins with its quiet elegance. 🎫Ticket: Free 🕐Opening Hours: 09:00～16:30 🚇Transportation: 500 meters walk from Exit 1b of the Courthouse Field Station on Line 4

People are still squeezing into other gardens, but the free Qu Garden is less crowded and more beautiful! The Magnolias in Qu Garden bloom earlier, if you don't go now, you'll really miss out. With the blue sky as the canvas, the Magnolias paint a breathtaking landscape. 🏠Address: Qu Garden, Mayike Alley, Gusu District, Suzhou City ⭐Ticket: 0. 🚗Transportation: Drive to a nearby parking lot/Subway to Leqiao Station and walk ⏰Time: 7:30~17:30

|Strongly recommend everyone to check in the free winter plum blossom at "Qu Garden".🏠Qu Garden 📍No.1, Mayike, Gusu District, Suzhou (Walk 360 meters from the southwest exit of Chayuanchang subway station on Line 1) 🍃One of the lesser-known gardens in Suzhou, very exquisite and beautiful The winter plum blossom that blooms alone in the cold has recently made it famous, But compared to the four major gardens, it is still considered quiet Take your child to avoid the crowded crowd, appreciate the unique beauty of Suzhou gardens And you can also see the beautiful scene in the story "A few plum branches in the corner of the wall, blooming alone in the cold" Only by being there can you appreciate and understand the artistic conception in the ancient poems 🎫Free admission, and no reservation is required 🅿️About parking: You can park at the parking lot at the intersection of Mayike ♥️Qu Garden is the former residence of Yu Yue, a literary scholar in the late Qing Dynasty, who called himself a resident of Qu Garden Qu Garden is divided into five sections, the west and north are the garden parts, Although the area is not large, it gives people a feeling of being small and exquisite, with unique characteristics.