Shenzhen Longyuan Park

Shenzhen Longyuan Park

Longyuan is located at No. 433 Longyuan Road, Longgang District, Shenzhen. It is currently the only garden-style park in China themed around dragon culture. To the north of Longyuan lies an antique-style street, which now serves as the area’s only tourist market offering flowers, birds, antiques, and collectibles. The market features 64 shops with classical-style architecture and over 400 stalls.

Longyuan is home to over 38,000 dragon sculptures. These depictions of dragons span styles from the Shang Dynasty all the way to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, encompassing ancient Qiang, Baiyue, Han, Miao, Yi, Naxi, and other ethnic representations. The park captures the essence of China's dragon culture in every detail. In addition to the majestic dragon guarding the entrance, dragons can be seen throughout the park—carp with dragon heads leaping in the ponds, turtles with dragon heads crawling on the ground, and walls adorned with carvings of soaring dragons. The Huilong Bridge that spans the Longgang River features stone pillars all carved with dragon heads. The park boasts more than 20 major attractions, including Longmen Scenic View, Dragon Roar to the Heavens, Nine-Dragon Wall, Guanyin Pavilion, Dragon King Palace, Five-Dragon Pavilion, Huilong Bridge, and Lovers' Forest.

The main gate of Longyuan is a five-bay, hip-and-gable roof structure in the Ming and Qing architectural style. A pair of bluestone qilin (mythical creatures) guards the entrance. Upon entering the main gate, visitors are welcomed by the Dragon Horse. Legend has it that the Dragon Horse, resembling both a dragon and a horse and covered in symbols, inspired Fuxi to create the Eight Trigrams, laying the foundation of Chinese civilization.

On either side of the park stand two double-ring pavilions with green-tiled, classic roofs—simple yet elegant. At the center of the park sits a bluestone memorial archway. The front is inscribed with the plaque “Hometown of Fuxi,” handwritten by the former President of China. The sides feature a 104-character couplet composed by the renowned scholar Huo Songlin, highlighting the Eight Great Scenic Spots of ancient Qinzhou and eight notable historical figures from Tianshui. Behind the archway stand a pair of tall, pure white marble columns. Visitors ascend nine steps along the imperial path, stroll across the moon terrace surrounded by jade-green railings and pillars, and arrive at the Jishi Hall.

Jishi Hall is the centerpiece of Longyuan. This grand nine-bay, double-eave, hip-and-gable roof structure houses 19 bronze statues of notable historical figures from Tianshui, ranging from Fuxi to the late Qing Dynasty figure An Weijun. The hall’s side walls are adorned with bronze-relief carvings of dragons, while the gable walls feature imitation rosewood murals, Maiji Flying Apsaras frescoes, and 32 wooden relief carvings depicting historical stories from ancient Jishi. The hall is magnificent and imposing, vividly reflecting the history, art, and culture of Tianshui, as well as showcasing the architectural style of contemporary Tianshui.