A Qing salt-merchant garden famed for its four rockery 'seasons' around a bamboo grove, one of China's four great historic gardens.
Geyuan was built in 1818 by the salt merchant Huang Yingtai, whose bamboo grove (the character 'ge' resembles a bamboo leaf) gave the garden its name. The rockeries are its masterpiece: Spring Hill is set among bamboo and stalagmites, Summer Hill is a shaded grey-stone cave with a pond, Autumn Hill is a yellow-stone peak that glows in late light, and Winter Hill is a mass of white quartz that mimics snow.
Outside the rockeries the compound includes the merchant's residence with Qing furniture, an inner courtyard with stage platforms, and a long bamboo alley. The garden is compact, so a full visit is brief; the details of the stone and the plantings reward slower looking.
| Admission | Adult About CNY 45 (~$6) · Child Children under 1.2 m free; seniors and students about half price with ID |
|---|---|
| Hours | Daily about 07:15-17:30 (to 18:00 in summer) |
| Typical visit | 1.5-2 hours |
| Best time | Early morning, or a winter afternoon for the snow-stone Winter Hill |
| Getting there | Short walk from Dongguan Street; Didi about CNY 15 (~$2) from Yangzhou Station |
| Address | 10 Yanfu East Road, Guangling District, Yangzhou / 扬州市广陵区盐阜东路10号 |
Good to know
- Best for
- garden lovers, photographers, history enthusiasts
Location
10 Yanfu East Road, Guangling District, Yangzhou / 扬州市广陵区盐阜东路10号
32.3955, 119.4310 View on map
Highlights
- Four-seasons rockery arrangement
- Bamboo groves that give the garden its name
- Salt merchant residence halls
- Yellow-stone Autumn Hill
Tips for visiting
- Arrive at opening to avoid tour groups in the narrow rockery paths
- Walk the four hills in order: spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Buy a combo ticket with He Garden if offered on the mini-program
- Combine with Dongguan Street, a five-minute walk east
When to visit
Early morning or a winter afternoon
Accessibility
Paved but with steps and narrow rock paths; wheelchair access to the main courtyards and not the rockery summit.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Geyuan take?
About 90 minutes to two hours at a relaxed pace.
Is Geyuan or He Garden better?
They differ: Geyuan is a rockery garden, He Garden has a two-level covered corridor and a mansion; most visitors see both.
Where is the closest food?
Dongguan Street has teahouses and snack stalls within five minutes' walk.