Fruit Capital Grand View Garden

Fruit Capital Grand View Garden

Fruit Capital Grand View Garden is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Fruit Capital Grand View Garden

Fruit Capital Grand View Garden, a new amusement center integrating orchards, gardens, and parks, was built with an investment of over 2 million yuan by Dashuhe Town. Covering an area of 380 acres, the garden features three major landscapes, four major scenic areas, and ten smaller attractions. It includes the Gongbao Mansion, Grand View Tower, Folk Culture Museum, Han Dynasty Emperors Hall, a miniature of Ancient Fengcheng, a children’s playground, as well as pavilions, winding bridges, corridors, rockeries, fountains, and various flower stands and potted plants. It organically combines traditional culture with modern craftsmanship, and garden aesthetics with contemporary facilities, creating a comfortable and elegant environment for leisure and entertainment. In 2005, it was designated as a “National Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Site.”

— Gongbao Mansion. This was the residence of Li Wei, a high-ranking official who served three emperors during the Qing Dynasty. When Li Wei was appointed as the Minor Tutor to the Crown Prince, Emperor Yongzheng allocated special funds to build him a mansion in Liuliu Lou (Li Wei’s hometown), hence the name “Gongbao Mansion” (Palace Guardian Mansion). Later, Emperor Qianlong personally inscribed a large plaque with the name “Gongbao Mansion,” which was hung above the main gate as an imperial honor. Unfortunately, in 1851, the Yellow River breached its banks at Panlongji, submerging the Gongbao Mansion and all the village buildings in the raging floodwaters. In 1996, the people of Dashuhe and Li family descendants from both home and abroad pooled funds to rebuild the “Gongbao Mansion.” The newly reconstructed mansion covers an area of 6 acres, with nine underground rooms and seven main halls above ground. It stretches 36 meters from east to west and is 15 meters high, adopting the classical garden architectural style of Qing Dynasty imperial residences—simple, elegant, and majestic.

— Han Dynasty Emperors Hall. As one of the main attractions of the Grand View Garden, it covers an area of 8,000 square meters. The main hall is 18 meters long from east to west and 15 meters high. The central hall features a statue of Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty (Emperor Gaozu), with civil officials and strategists such as Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Cao Can, and Chen Ping on the left, and formidable generals like Fan Kuai, Xiahou Ying, Zhou Bo, and Wang Ling on the right. The walls are painted with portraits of figures such as Qi Lady, Empress Lü Zhi, Lady Cao, and Lady Bo. The hall also includes east and west side chambers. The west side chamber houses statues of 12 Western Han emperors including Emperor Hui Liu Ying, Emperor Wen Liu Heng, and Emperor Jing Liu Qi, as well as Empress Lü Zhi and Empress Dong Ao’jiao, consort of Emperor Wu. The east side chamber features 12 Eastern Han emperors such as Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu and Emperor Ming Liu Zhuang, along with Empress Yin Lihua, consort of Emperor Guangwu. The hall also displays models representing the technological achievements of the Han Dynasty, such as the seismoscope, armillary sphere, and sundial, as well as Han-style stone columns and divine lamps of the Azure Dragon and White Tiger. It is a condensed representation of the history and culture of the Han Dynasty.

— Grand View Tower. This is another classical structure that complements the Gongbao Mansion courtyard. It is another traditional historical and cultural landmark rediscovered and revived by the people of Dashuhe. Legend has it that during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty, Li Wei, who was first appointed as Minor Tutor to the Crown Prince and later as Minister of War, built a three-story tower over six zhang (approximately 20 meters) high in his hometown of Liuliu Lou, naming it the Grand View Tower. During the spring season when flowers bloomed and the breeze was gentle, Li Wei would invite literati, scholars, and dignitaries from surrounding areas to climb the tower, enjoy the view, compose poetry, and discuss state affairs. It is said that when Emperor Qianlong traveled to the south of the Yangtze River, he passed through this area and ascended the Grand View Tower, where he was captivated by the beauty of the Central Plains landscape. He was so pleased that he repeatedly exclaimed, “How beautiful, how beautiful!” The newly built three-story Grand View Tower is 18.8 meters tall. Climbing to the top offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the green world and floral ocean along the Dashuhe River. Hence, it is also known as the Fruit Capital Viewing Platform.

— Miniature of Ancient Fengcheng. The city of Fengxian was established during the Warring States period. This attraction is a scaled-down replica of the old city of Fengcheng from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, featuring a rare layout of main streets within the urban area. The city had four gates: the eastern gate called Wanghua Gate, the western gate called Zhanglan Gate, the southern gate called Zhongyang Gate, and the northern gate called Daze Gate. The city housed numerous temples, giving rise to sayings such as “four gates facing eight temples” and “five gates facing ten temples.” Major attractions include the Gaozu Temple, Xiaowumen, Ma Gong Academy, Guan Yu Temple, Confucius Temple, Chenghuang Temple, Huoshen Temple, General Liu Temple, as well as landmarks like Golden Bridge with Jade Railings and Three Mountains Flanking One Well. Historical records indicate that during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Fengcheng’s architecture was simple and elegant, and its streets were bustling and prosperous.

— Children’s Playground. This is a small recreational space designed for children to learn through play and promote physical and mental well-being. Located within the Peach Blossom Garden, it features electric trains, merry-go-rounds, toy tanks, Black Cat Sheriff rides, bumper cars, slides, rocking horses, and various other toys. When children ride the speeding little train or sit on the spinning merry-go-round, it feels like they’ve arrived in the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit or the Water Curtain Cave, captivating their imagination and keeping them enthralled with endless joy.

— Hundred-Acre World-Class Rare Flower Garden. Not only is it a great place for leisure, flower appreciation, and visual delight, but it is also a cultivation base for rare and precious flowers. The garden houses over 300,000 plants of various flowers. Blooming in all four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—it offers a refreshing and unforgettable experience. Alongside apple blossoms, pear blossoms, peach blossoms, cherry blossoms, and lotus flowers, it presents a vibrant natural tapestry, transporting you to an ocean of flowers.

Fruit Capital Grand View Garden fully embodies the unique local characteristics of combining traditional culture with ethnic craftsmanship, garden aesthetics with modern structures, and leisure entertainment with modern civilization. It is the fruit of the diligence and wisdom of the people of Dashuhe, a focal point of the progressive and civilized spirit of the modern Fruit Capital, and a microcosm of the even more beautiful and magnificent Dashuhe Fruit Capital.

Source: China Fengxian Network