Lotus Pond Park

Lotus Pond Park

Located at No. 102 Hehua Pond Road. Originally known as Nan Chi or Yan Chi, it was later named "Lotus Pond" due to the widespread planting of lotus flowers. In the Qing Dynasty, the renowned scholar from She County, Wang Yushu, built the Nan Yuan garden by the pond. The pond features a central island with halls such as "Yan Chi Ran Han," "Yu Ling Long Pavilion," and "Lin Chi." The island is connected to the shore via arched and winding bridges, and it was once one of the Eight Famous Gardens of Yangzhou. The garden houses nine Taihu rock peaks, ranging from over ten feet tall to just a few feet, all exquisitely carved—legend has it they are remnants of the Song Dynasty's Flower and Rock Commission. The park also originally featured attractions such as Cheng Kong Yu, Hai Tong Study, Yu Hua Nunnery, Shen Liu Reading Hall, Gu Yu Pavilion, and Feng Yi Pavilion. When Emperor Qianlong visited during his southern tour, he bestowed the name "Jiu Feng Yuan" (Nine Peaks Garden). The "Nan Yuan Heritage Stone" in front of the park’s boat hall is one of the original nine peaks.

As a specialized lotus garden, the pond cultivates lotuses across an area of one thousand square meters. In 1999, the park began introducing various cultivars of lotus, and now hosts over 400 varieties of lotus and nearly 20 types of water lilies, making it the city’s hub for lotus cultivation. It exclusively provided exhibition flowers for the 18th National Lotus Exhibition. In the national bowl lotus cultivation competition held during the exhibition, the park’s entries won awards for four consecutive sessions. The park’s eastern and western lotus viewing spots fill the air with fragrance in peak summer, offering a mesmerizing experience and establishing it as a renowned lotus appreciation destination in the Yangzhou area.

The amusement area is mainly located in the western part of the park. Bumper boats, ice-skating, children’s trampolines, the lakeside teahouse on the central island, and boat rides are becoming increasingly popular among visitors. In August 2016, Yangzhou’s first underwater parking lot—the Lotus Pond Underground Parking—began trial operations, providing 700 parking spaces to alleviate the parking issues around Northern Jiangsu Hospital.

The northwest corner of the park is the site of Ying Yuan (Shadow Garden). Ying Yuan was personally planned and designed by the late Ming scholar Zheng Yuanxun in collaboration with Ji Cheng (author of the world’s earliest famous garden design treatise, "Yuan Ye") and took over ten years to complete. It earned its name because it was built amidst shadows of willows, water, and mountains, and was inscribed with the name "Ying Yuan" by the Ming Dynasty painter and calligrapher Dong Qichang.

Address: No. 105 Daxue South Road, Guangling District, Yangzhou City

Type: Urban Park

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Phone: 0514-87883790

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

Free admission.