He Garden

He Garden is a classical Chinese garden in Yangzhou featuring traditional landscaping with water features, rock formations, and pavilions spread across the grounds. The layout divides into three main areas: the West Garden, East Garden, and residential quarters, with notable buildings such as the Yuxiu Building and Boat Hall.

The garden was built in 1883 during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor by He Weijian on a former site that held the Garden of Double Pagoda Trees. This earlier garden was replaced to create the classical space that survives to the present day.

The garden's name draws from ancient poetry about returning to nature, and you can see this spirit in how the spaces blend water, plants, and stones to create moments of quiet reflection throughout the grounds.

The garden is open year-round and best explored on foot, allowing time to wander through the different sections at a leisurely pace. Wear comfortable shoes and pay attention to the pathways, as the garden has many small routes and transitions between areas.

The garden blends traditional Chinese design principles with Western architectural influences from the late imperial period. This mixture creates spaces that appear larger than their actual size through clever arrangement of sight lines and openings.