Zhejiang Shaoxing Shen Garden Witnesses a Millennium of Romance and Sorrow

🏞️Shen Garden has a history of 800 years and is the only Song Dynasty-style garden preserved among the many classical gardens of Shaoxing through the ages. It is famous for the tragic love story of Southern Song poet Lu You and his cousin Tang Wan. In 1151, Lu You and Tang Wan reunited here and wrote the timeless masterpiece "Chaitou Feng." Shen Garden centers around water, featuring pavilions, towers, small bridges over flowing water, and lush trees, combining the classical beauty and poetic atmosphere of Jiangnan gardens. 🌈Main Attractions ✅ North Garden (Historic Area) 1️⃣ Duanyun Stone: Located at the entrance of Shen Garden, "Duanyun" sounds like "broken fate." The stone is split in the middle but reluctant to separate, symbolizing the tragic love of Lu You and Tang Wan. 2️⃣ Wenmei Rail: A Song-style building named after Lu You’s love for plum blossoms, as the garden is planted with many plum trees. 3️⃣ Six Dynasties Well Pavilion: The pavilion houses an ancient well from the Six Dynasties period, with the well shaft made from ceramic fragments dating from the Han to the Six Dynasties. 4️⃣ Lone Crane Pavilion: Named after Lu You’s self-comparison to a "lone crane," symbolizing his unfulfilled ambitions and the poet’s life of repeated demotions. 5️⃣ Chaitou Feng Stele: The stele is engraved with two poems titled "Chaitou Feng," one written by Lu You and the other, according to legend, by Tang Wan. 6️⃣ Song Dynasty Pond: Originally a Qing Dynasty pond, Song Dynasty remains were discovered here during archaeological exploration in 1985. 7️⃣ Song Well Pavilion: Also called "Double-Eyed Well," an ancient well from the Song Dynasty. 8️⃣ Gourd Pond: Named for its gourd-like shape, originally the site of the Shen family’s private garden, it serves as a Song Dynasty relic, witnessing Shen Garden’s history as a private garden of that era. 9️⃣ Half Wall Pavilion: Symbolizes the pain of the "half wall" separation in Lu You and Tang Wan’s tragic love, and also alludes to Lu You’s patriotic sorrow over the loss of half of the Southern Song territory. ✅ South Garden: ① Lu You Memorial Hall: Introduces his life and achievements. ② Lianli Garden: Symbolizes the "intertwined" love of Lu You and Tang Wan through garden scenery. ✅ East Garden: Also known as the Lovers’ Garden, it is a garden area themed specifically around the love story of Lu You and Tang Wan. 🌈Route: Customer Service Center ➡ Duanyun Stone ➡ Wenmei Rail ➡ Six Dynasties Well Pavilion ➡ Lone Crane Pavilion ➡ Song Well Pavilion ➡ Gourd Pond ➡ Chaitou Feng Stele ➡ (South Garden) Lu You Memorial Hall ➡ Half Wall Pavilion ➡ (East Garden) Qiongyao Pond ➡ Xiangyin Pavilion ➡ (North Garden) Rugujing Pavilion ➡ Lengcui Pavilion ➡ Exit. 🌈Tips: 1️⃣ Mainly a historical site, it incorporates cultural elements of Lu You and Tang Wan’s love story, suitable for visitors interested in history, culture, poetry, Song Dynasty culture, and ancient garden art. 2️⃣ Shen Garden is relatively small and not comparable to Suzhou gardens; if you are not interested in the story of Lu You and Tang Wan, you might find it less cost-effective. 3️⃣ Focus on the historic area (Gourd Pond, Lone Crane Pavilion, Chaitou Feng Stele); the East Garden "Love Garden" is suitable for couples. 🌈Tickets: Daytime ticket: 40 RMB, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (last entry at 4:40 PM) Shen Garden Night ticket: 98 RMB, 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM.