Qiuxia Garden 上海嘉定秋霞圃

We have visited Jiading today at the start of summer in Shanghai. Our first target was the China Imperial Examination System Museum near Confucius Temple. However, due to our driver did not manage to find the place at first, we ended up seeing this attraction, Qiuxia Garden 秋霞圃 instead.

As one of the five classical gardens in Shanghai, Qiuxia Garden is the one with the longest history and best conserved. It was built from the 14th year of Emperor Chenghua to the 5th year of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (1505-1526), and served as the private garden of the mansion of Gong Hong, Minister of Works of the Ming Dynasty.

Entrance fee is RMB10 per adult. Children are free admission.

Entrance Ticket

Some information can be obtained from Jiading website (Chinese only):
http://www.jiading.gov.cn/view_58.aspx?cid=298&id=42&navindex=0

When we reached the front entrance of this garden, we found an quite obscure place. Small street reaching this place. The entrance is very small and dull. It looks as if it is some people's house surrounding by modern apartment. If not for the small sign-board that tells its name, we would have missed. Our driver actually missed it and we had to turn back. Road is narrow.

Main entrance to Qiuxia Garden

Papa only photo shot

After paying for the entrance ticket, we stepped into the garden. Just on the path leading to the temple in the middle, there is a map showing the garden. By now we only realized that the garden is quite big.

Map of the garden...


Ethan and mummy 2 shot in front of the map

Path leading to the temple


In front of the temple

Ethan and Papa in front of temple

Inside the temple

whole bunch of statues

The Qiuxia Garden, designed artistically and delicately with an elegant composition, is highly reputed for its breath-taking beauty. There are many couplets and inscriptions by celebrities in the garden. In 1962, the garden was listed as a Shanghai Municipality Protected Historic Site.

"一堂静对移时久，胜似西湖十里长"

We took quite some time to explore this garden. There were lots of rooms, one garden leads to another garden place. In fact, we were a bit puzzled by the fact that there were not many people inside this garden. Maybe this place is not that easily access by tourists? It was so quiet and we explore the garden without meeting anyone for some time.

This is a good thing because it was easy for us to set up a camera tri-pod and take lots of photographs.

Garden grounds

Ancient text and characters displayed on the walls

Various sort of rooms

Bamboos in one of the garden

In the garden, we could see windows in the walls. From these windows, one could see different sceneries of the garden beyond the wall. Far and close up look of the windows, looks as if one is seeing a real life picture or painting. The builder of this garden surely know how to consider the beauty of such windows. For example the photos below are windows that looks out to bamboo trees. If you experience for yourself, it would make you wonder that you are looking at a Chinese painting of art. I do have this sense of feeling when I first look into one of these windows.

Window to bamboo trees - like a Chinese painting??

Old buildings and some rock formation

The variety of buildings, rock formation, plants, ponds and paths all blend together to give the serenity of garden. One could not stop having a feeling of peace and tranquility in a place like this. There is a true Zen kind of atmosphere.

More paths...

Ponds in the garden

Paths and undergrowths

It is as if all the element comes together to form and fit nicely the pieces of work of art. Getting the best of immortal world as close to our mortal environment.

Pond with lily

Summer green leaves and water pond

There are also quite a number of pavilion for people to take a rest or in past I think it was used for people to write poem and enjoy a sip of tea?

Here there is another window that looks out to nice view of the garden on the other side.

Window of beautiful garden scene

Apart from this, the door way that leads from one garden to another garden is also quite interesting. In a way that there are a variety of different shapes of doorway. Shown for example in one of the photos below give an idea of what I meant.

The door way from one garden to the other

Some reception hall for visitors (I think)

Please ask our guest to come in...

Crystal rock formation kind of bonsai

More scenes in the garden

Family photos in the garden

More family photos...

More ponds... and lily...

"池上春光早，丽日迟迟，天朗气清，惠风和畅"

Pond side pavilion

It was quite a beautiful, scenic and interesting place. Definitely we will come back once again when the season changes. This is the place which we believe change of season would bring more along new things to see and experience.