Xiangxue Garden

Xiangxue Garden

Covering an area of over 1,000 acres, Xiangxue Garden was inscribed by the renowned Peking Opera master Mei Baojiu. The garden features sculptures depicting the Boxer Rebellion, The Drunken Beauty, Romance of the West Chamber, and The Butterfly Lovers. It is home to tens of thousands of pear trees, including more than 2,000 ancient pear trees over a century old.

The pear orchard was first established in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties. Legend has it that in 619 AD (the second year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty), Dou Jiande, the King of Xia, fought a major battle against the Sui army led by Yuwen Huaji in Liaocheng and achieved a decisive victory. He once stationed his troops along the old course of the Yellow River and held a celebration for his entire army in the pear orchard. The pear orchard that stands before you today has, through millennia of change, evolved into a large-scale scenic area spanning over 1,000 acres, with tens of thousands of pear trees and more than 2,000 ancient pear trees over a hundred years old.

The pear orchard takes on different beautiful scenes throughout the four seasons.

In spring, the garden is covered in blooming pear blossoms — “delicately pink and fragrant, a beauty all its own, not yielding its prime to peach or plum blossoms.”

In summer, waves of green stretch as far as the eye can see, with refreshing breezes offering a cool and pleasant escape, making it the perfect destination to beat the heat.

In autumn, with light clouds and blue skies, northern geese flying south, golden pears and red leaves creating a riot of color, and the air filled with the sweet scent of pears.

In winter, misty cold smoke and snow-covered plains open your eyes to a whole new world. If you’re lucky enough to witness the rare sight of rime ice, you’ll truly experience what it means to be in a heavenly paradise on Earth.

In the golden autumn season, the garden is fragrant with ripe fruit. Over twenty varieties such as duck-billed pears, golden pears, snow pears, floury pears, and sour pears ripen in succession. Each is crisp and delicate, with thin skin, tender flesh, rich juice, and a sweet, refreshing taste. Visiting the pear garden in autumn is not only a chance to pick fragrant pears but also to dig for peanuts, harvest sweet potatoes, and enjoy the pleasures of farm life.