Concave Crystal Stream Pavilion (Convex Emerald Villa)

The Concave Crystal Stream Pavilion (Convex Emerald Villa)

The Concave Crystal Pavilion originates from the classic Chinese literary masterpiece *Dream of the Red Chamber* and is a structure within the Grand View Garden. In 1984, a distinctive classical-style garden, Beijing Grand View Garden, was built for the TV series adaptation of *Dream of the Red Chamber*. The Concave Crystal Pavilion was constructed as part of this garden to allow visitors to explore and experience the culture of the novel. As a visual retreat and a framed view counterpart to the Convex Emerald Villa, the Concave Crystal Stream Pavilion is nestled in a low-lying area near the water beneath the villa. It is the setting where Shi Xiangyun and Lin Daiyu composed the first twenty-two quatrains of their poem “Thirty-Five Rhymes on an Impromptu Couplet-Writing Session in the Grand View Garden on Mid-Autumn Night.” Among those lines are the famous couplet: “A crane’s shadow crosses the cold pond; / The moon buries the soul of poetry in chill.” The name “Concave Crystal Pavilion” was given by Lin Daiyu.

Suggested Duration

2–3 hours to tour the entire Grand View Garden

Transportation

Bus routes: 59, 819, 717, 122, 721, 806, 939, 816

Admission Fee

40 RMB, half price for students

Opening Hours

7:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Location

No. 12, Nancailian Street, Xicheng District, Beijing