Ying Garden

Ying Garden, originally named Xing Garden, is a classical garden architecture with Jiangnan characteristics that has been well preserved in the city to this day. It was first built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, it was named ‘Xing Garden’, taking the meaning of ‘harmony through action’ from the ‘Autumn Excursion Fu’ by the Western Jin Dynasty literary scholar Pan Yue.

The garden was originally the private residence of Xie Tingyang, and part of it was the former site of Chu Zhen’s ‘Bamboo Shaded Pavilion’. It was later destroyed by war. Locals purchased the old residences of the Xie and Chu families, renaming it ‘Ying Garden’ after the ‘Immortal Fairyland of Yingzhou’, and created ponds and rocks, with the pond imitating the shape of Xi Kui, full of implicit charm and not allowing one to see everything at a glance. The garden is full of endless charm with its mountains, waters, ponds, pavilions, and buildings arranged in a dense yet orderly manner.

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It has served as a school and has also been a shelter for the poor during times of war and chaos. It is worth mentioning that the ‘Yi Xing Chuan Fei Pavilion’, inscribed by Xu Dachang, a Yixing painter and father of Xu Beihong, is still standing. The opening hours and specific business status are subject to the actual situation on the day.

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