Constructed in 1850, the 13th year in the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty, Ke Garden in Dongguan City, together with Qinghui Garden in Shunde City, Yuyinshan s House in Fanyu City, and Liang s Garden in Foshan City, is ranked as one of the four famous gardens under the key protection of Guangdong Province.
Ke Garden, looking like a triangle as a whole, covers an area of 2,200 square meters. The garden features a tower, eleven pavilions, six terraces, five ponds, three bridges, nineteen halls and fifteen rooms, all of which are in grey bricks and most of which are named Ke . The tallest building is Ke Tower, as tall as 15.6 meters. The attic of Ke Tower is called Stone Inviting Pavilion, where, looking out of the window, you can get a bird s eye view of the scenery of Guancheng District.
The garden can be generally divided into four parts: three building groups and a yard. The southeast building group is the place for welcoming the guests; the west building group with many pavilions is the place for feasting and viewing; and the north building group is the place prepared for the owner to reside, paint, parade and recite poetry. While in the middle, there is a big courtyard circled by these three groups. The yard consists of southwest and northeast areas. The visitors can see some scenic spots there, such as the Orchid Platform, the Bend Pool. Around the yard, there is a long corridor named Huanbi Corridor which connects the three building groups together closely. Walking along the corridor, the visitors will encounter all the beautiful scenes of the garden.
Like other gardens in southern China, the buildings, the flowers, the hills and the lakes in Keyuan blend with the surroundings harmoniously. Visitors will be satisfied with the perfect scenery wherever they stand. When walking into this garden, they will find that the garden is in a complex arrangement. The paths extend in all directions. There are 130 doorways and 108 gateposts opening onto pavilions and kiosks. It is like a big maze. If the visitors are not careful enough, they will lose themselves in the picturesque garden.
Except for its exquisite architectural style and enjoyable scenery, Keyuan is known for its important role in the modern history of Chinese painting and calligraphy. Although Zhang Jingxuan was a military officer, he mastered painting, calligraphy, chess as well as poetry. As he quit working, he invited two famous painters, Juchao and Julian, to paint in Keyuan all year round. Their painting laid a foundation for Lingnan School (an important painting school in China's painting history which claims that the traditional painting should absorb the soul of western culture to improve its connotation to a modern and popular aspect.).
Admission Fee: CNY8 (for adult)
CNY4 (for child between 110cm-140cm)
Free (for child below 110cm)
Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30
Mini Bus Route: 3, 4, 7, 15, 20, 21, 27, 30
