I would truly be sad if anyone came to Nanjing and didn't visit this place!

Family, if you have an endless love for the gardens of the Jiangnan region, then Zhan Garden in Nanjing is definitely a breathtaking spot you can't miss! It is the oldest and best-preserved Ming Dynasty classical garden in Nanjing, and also one of the 'Four Famous Gardens of Jiangnan'. Covering an area of about 20,000 square meters, Zhan Garden boasts more than twenty scenic spots, with an elegant and exquisite layout. It features majestic ancient Ming and Qing buildings, steep and rugged artificial mountains, the famous Northern Song Dynasty Taihu rocks, serene and elegant pavilions and terraces, and a landscape of stacked peaks. 🔸Historical Evolution: Zhan Garden was built in the early Ming Dynasty, originally as the Wu King's Mansion before Zhu Yuanzhang became the emperor. It was later bestowed to Xu Da, the King of Zhongshan, as part of his residence garden. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited the garden during his inspection of the south and personally inscribed the plaque 'Zhan Garden'. During the Taiping Rebellion when Nanjing was the capital, Zhan Garden successively served as the residence of the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing, the office of the Vice Prime Minister Lai Hanying, and the residence of the Young Western King Xiao Youhe. 🔸Layout: East Zhan Garden features the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum, the Water Courtyard, the Lawn Area, and the Ancient Architecture Area; West Zhan Garden includes the West Artificial Mountain, South Artificial Mountain, North Artificial Mountain, and Jingmiao Hall among other attractions. ✅Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum in Zhan Garden is the only museum in China dedicated to the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. To date, the museum has collected over 2,800 relics of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom; more than 10,000 photos of various cultural relics and historical sites; over 2,000 volumes of original Qing Dynasty archives and correspondence materials; more than 6,000 books on the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom; and has published over 30 volumes of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom materials, totaling more than 7 million words. ✅Mountain·Water·Corridor: 🔸Mountain: Zhan Garden is renowned for its artificial mountains. The garden covers only 8 mu, with artificial mountains occupying 3.7 mu. Zhan Garden is divided into South, North, and West Artificial Mountains, among which the North Artificial Mountain is made of Taihu rocks, skillfully stacked, and is a marvel of craftsmanship. 🔸Water: Zhan Garden's design primarily features mountains with water as a secondary element. The water ponds are small but winding, creating a sense of continuity and discontinuity, adding layers and depth to the scenery, and achieving the effect of 'seeing the big through the small'. 🔸Corridor: The corridors crisscross Zhan Garden from east to west, north to south, meandering and twisting, seemingly interrupted yet connected, creating secluded pathways that seem to block yet allow passage. The corridors include the Curved Corridor, Water Corridor, Rain Corridor, Overlapping Corridor, and more, especially the Xiangxiang Corridor, which is one of the old eighteen scenes. 📍Location: No. 128 Zhan Garden Road, Qinhuai District, Nanjing ⏰Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00-16:00, 17:00-21:00 ⏱Recommended Visiting Time: 1h 💰Ticket Price: Full price 30, half price for students, Garden Pass accepted