Keyuan Garden, Dongguan

Keyuan Garden in Dongguan is an important representative of Lingnan gardens. Together with Qinghui Garden in Shunde, Yuyin Mountain House in Panyu, and Liang Garden in Foshan, it is known as one of the four major Lingnan gardens. Keyuan Garden was built in 1850 by Zhang Jingxiu, a military general in the late Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that the owner of the garden, Zhang Jingxiu, originally wanted to name the garden "Yiyuan." After the completion of the garden, he invited guests to a banquet, and everyone praised the garden, saying "it's good, it's good." Zhang Jingxiu felt that the word "Ke" (good) better reflected the exquisite nature of the garden, and since "Ke" comes before "Yi" (meaning), he renamed it "Keyuan." The owner of the garden once invited Ju Chao and Ju Lian, the founders of the Lingnan School of Painting, to stay here for ten years. The two of them created the "Zhuangshui Zhuangfen" technique in Keyuan, which laid the foundation for the "eclectic" artistic style of the Lingnan School of Painting, making Keyuan an important source of the Lingnan School of Painting. Strolling through the garden, the scenery is truly beautiful! Keyuan Museum, Dongguan