Hai Shan Xian Guan

Hai Shan Xian Guan

The graceful traces of Lingnan gardens, steeped in an ancient charm that stretches back to the Nanyue Kingdom and the minor dynasties of the Southern Han, are almost tangible. The scale of garden architecture historically built within Lychee Bay was even more “magnificent.” Examples include the garden of the Southern Han Dynasty, the Changhua Garden famed for its “ten miles of rosy clouds and eight bridges with painted pleasure boats,” the Evening Scenery Garden of Huang Zhong, Vice Minister of War during the Ming Dynasty, and so on... By the Qing Dynasty, gardens such as the Tang Li Garden (also called Qiu Zhu Garden) of Qiu Xi, a Guangzhou gentleman, the Huan Cui Garden of Cai Tinghui, and the Li Xiang Garden from the late Qing and early Republican period emerged one after another. Among them, the most famous and reputed as the finest private garden in the city during the Qing Dynasty was the “Sea Mountain Divine Land, Immortals’ Former Abode”—Hai Shan Xian Guan—built by Pan Shicheng, a wealthy Guangzhou merchant and cultural figure, during the Daoguang era. Its name originates from the couplet inscribed on its gate.

Shrouded in dense foliage and adorned like brocaded clouds, Hai Shan Xian Guan appears as a surreal earthly paradise blending natural charm with human artistry. It embodies the subtle, exquisite, and ingeniously crafted features of classical gardens, while also silently expressing the gentle self-contentment, serene appreciation of landscapes, and tranquil detachment from worldly affairs typical of the local Cantonese culture. “Unaware of what night or moon it is tonight, nor what rain or mist fills this evening’s air”...

Hai Shan Xian Guan was once an exceptionally large private garden located in Lychee Bay, serving as the villa and mansion of Pan Shicheng.

Pan Shicheng, courtesy name Deshe, passed the supplementary provincial imperial examination (Fu榜) in the 13th year of the Daoguang reign (1832). Later, he was bestowed the title of Imperial Examination Graduate (Juren) for donating a large sum to aid disaster victims in Beijing. Initially engaged in the salt trade and foreign commerce, he later undertook coastal defense and military industry projects, eventually amassing great wealth. Research indicates that the Pan Garden was roughly located in the area of today’s Liwan Lake Park. Compared to the surrounding scenery at the time, it spanned from Penglai Road in the south, to Pantang in the north, to the fork of San Cha Yong on Longjin West Road in the east, and to the Pearl River in the west. As described in Mr. Lu Wenlian’s 1997 article “A Preliminary Exploration of Hai Shan Xian Guan” published in *Southern Architecture*: “Looking westward, one sees the surging Pearl River and endless ships; eastward, the dwellings of Xiguan and the ancient walls of Guangzhou; to the north, green fields and undulating mountains; and to the south, the Ye family’s small fields and White Swan Pond, where foreign merchant ships moored.” One can easily imagine that Hai Shan Xian Guan, whether due to its feng shui-favored location or its vast and imposing grounds, was a true “behemoth” among Lingnan gardens in Guangdong at the time. It could be called a uniquely blessed and peerless “model of southern gardens.”

There are few surviving written accounts of Hai Shan Xian Guan from history. The most valuable materials reflecting its true appearance and historical condition today mainly include the *Hai Shan Xian Guan Tu* (Painting of Hai Shan Xian Guan) by Xia Luan, a renowned Qing Dynasty painter, which was commissioned by Pan Shicheng and is now housed in the Guangzhou Art Museum, providing today’s viewers with a refined and comprehensive view of the garden’s former glory; as well as the 19th-century gouache painting *The Splendid Pool House at Pantang in Guangzhou* by Tingwa, a painting merchant from the Thirteen Factories, which depicts parts of the garden’s scenery. Additionally, there are photographs of the pavilions and towers of Hai Shan Xian Guan taken by the Frenchman Jules Itier in 1844; the 1885 book *Bits of Old China* by American writer Hunter (republished in Hong Kong in 1993); and insights from literary works such as *Notes by the Lotus Corridor* by Yu Xunqing and *Four Tales from the Southern Pavilion* by Li Baojia, which allow us to glimpse the garden’s architectural characteristics and ambiance—for instance, being “elegant in scenery,” and “not merely excelling in splendor,” or phrases like “subtly echoing the watery charm of the Jiangnan region, yet enriched by the abundance of lychees by the bay.” From these, we can deduce that the defining feature of Hai Shan Xian Guan’s landscape architecture was its integration with the lychee groves along the bay, thereby fusing Lingnan’s inherent elements: the entwining vines, serene quietude, profound stillness, delicate refinement, cultural heritage, regional traits, and pastoral landscapes. These elements blend harmoniously with the scenery, mirror nature, achieve unity between man and heaven, and ultimately showcase the highest artistic realm and essence of Lingnan garden design—elegance and refinement. As described by Lu Wencong, Hai Shan Xian Guan possessed a naturally ordered, irregular yet harmonious, and gracefully spontaneous charm: “Lychee trees along the embankment, white lotuses in the water, osmanthus in the courtyard, lush pines and cypresses, shadows of bamboo and tung trees, all interspersed with rare flowers and plants, forming a cohesive greening system.” Indeed, blessed by nature, Hai Shan Xian Guan was surrounded and embraced by expansive, beautiful green mountains, clear waters, and vibrant flora. “Precisely because both the internal and external environments were favorable, the design and arrangement of pavilions, terraces, and towers within the garden enjoyed greater creative freedom”; everywhere there were views to borrow, greens to complement, and shades to rely upon, thus eliminating the need to rely solely on ornate carvings and paintings for “splendid excellence.” In other words, it could draw upon the innate refined beauty of nature, while shedding much of the artificial embellishment.

Shrouded in dense foliage and adorned like brocaded clouds, Hai Shan Xian Guan also resembles a surreal earthly paradise blending natural charm with human artistry. It embodies the subtle, exquisite, and ingeniously crafted features of classical gardens, while also silently expressing the gentle self-contentment, serene appreciation of landscapes, and tranquil detachment from worldly affairs typical of the local Cantonese culture. “Unaware of what night or moon it is tonight, nor what rain or mist fills this evening’s air,” the imagined Hai Shan Xian Guan seems like a mirage—ethereal, beautiful, and dreamlike. Its creator remains nameless, yet it has drawn countless poets to paint, scholars to compose, and travelers to sing its praises endlessly... a utopia beyond the mortal realm.

The reason Hai Shan Xian Guan earned such heartfelt admiration and affection was not merely due to its picturesque gardens or the rosy hues of its lychee blossoms, but more importantly, because it embodied a rich legacy of classical cultural significance. Its owner, Pan Shicheng, was not only a wealthy merchant of the Thirteen Factories but also a renowned cultural figure with an extensive collection that gained international fame. He spared no expense in publishing the *Hai Shan Xian Guan Series*, consisting of 56 titles across 492 volumes, categorized into the Four Branches of Literature (Classics, History, Philosophy, and Literature), spanning 120 volumes. He also diligently gathered calligraphy masterpieces by renowned artists throughout history, categorizing their precious works into “Ancient Imitations,” “Authentic Treasures,” and “Legacy Fragrances,” before commissioning over a thousand stone engravings. Most of these were inlaid into the cave walls along the garden’s winding corridors and paths. He also published rubbings of these stone engravings as the *Hai Shan Xian Guan Calligraphy Collection*. Thanks to the owner’s tireless dedication, artistic pursuit, perseverance, and inclusive vision, Pan Shicheng gained widespread renown and high prestige. Consequently, Hai Shan Xian Guan rightfully and deservedly became a beloved gathering place for high-ranking officials, celebrities, literati, and wealthy foreign merchants. Even diplomatic meetings between foreign envoys and government officials often took place here. Undoubtedly, the aforementioned American writer Hunter, French photographer Jules Itier, and the famous British photographer and writer John Thomson were all frequent visitors and close acquaintances of Hai Shan Xian Guan. They were captivated by this “quintessential Chinese garden” and dutifully transformed this “exquisitely fascinating” and extraordinarily beautiful paradise into vivid artistic treasures shared with the world.

Throughout his life, Pan Shicheng associated with people across the globe, was generous with his wealth, and took joy in doing good. In his early years, he donated funds multiple times for disaster relief in Beijing, Guangzhou, and elsewhere, once contributing as much as 13,000 taels of silver. Later, he donated 13,500 taels to renovate the Guangzhou Examination Hall and funded the paving of a stone road from Xiaobei Gate to Baiyun Mountain. While overseeing the construction of warships for seven coastal provinces, he spared no expense in hiring the American Remington to develop naval mines in China, earning recognition from Emperor Daoguang.

Unfortunately, this legendary figure, once renowned worldwide, eventually went bankrupt due to losses in the salt trade. His garden and properties were confiscated by the government, which then issued lottery tickets at three taels of silver each to attract buyers, with the winner receiving the immortal garden. It is said the winner was a schoolteacher who, finding the garden useless, dismantled and sold its materials. Some even split the four characters of “Hai Shan Xian Guan” into six words: “Mei Ren Chu San Guan Shi” (“Each person contributes three, officials eat”),

mocking the embarrassing predicament of Pan Shicheng’s ultimate bankruptcy. Alas, what a pity.

Hai Shan Xian Guan indeed did not enjoy the fortunate fate of Guangdong’s “Four Famous Gardens,” which have survived to this day. Following the decline of its owner Pan Shicheng’s household, it was auctioned off by the Qing government, dismantled and sold off piecemeal by vulgar and mediocre individuals, and ultimately vanished without a trace. Who could not lament the unfortunate fate of this rich historical and cultural heritage?

Fortunately, today, in order to promote the traditional culture of Xiguan and develop commercial tourism, the Liwan District People’s Government has decided to rebuild Hai Shan Xian Guan within Liwan Lake Park, and the first phase of the project has already been completed. Thus, the sighs and regrets of those who once longed to know more about “Hai Shan Xian Guan”—knowing only its name but not its location—have been alleviated.