Donghu Garden, A Few Plum Blossoms Beyond the Bamboo

★Tour Location: Donghu Garden, Jingjiang, Taizhou

Donghu Garden is located in Dongjiao Village, Jingcheng Town. It is built along the riverbanks of the East Ring Road, thus presenting a narrow and elongated area. The park covers a total area of over 170 mu, with a water area of 55 mu. It was fully completed and opened in 2009.

Later, due to the construction of Chengdong Avenue, the park's landscape was damaged to some extent. After renovation and improvement, it was reopened. Since I had never been here before 2014, I don't know what the original Donghu Garden was like. I imagine that after the renovation, it must be even better than before.

Although it was not built very early, Donghu Garden is the second park in Jingjiang's history, so it has received considerable attention since its opening. Of course, as a non-native of Jingjiang, we simply drove along the road and saw the scenic sign, so we drove all the way here.

The entire park is laid out according to the four themes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Among the pavilions, terraces, winding bridges, and waterside pavilions, there are vegetation and ornamental stones. It is said that there are over 100 species of terrestrial, aquatic, and wetland plants here, from the gorgeous spring to the passionate summer, then to the colorful autumn, and finally to the noble and pure winter.

Unfortunately, although Jingjiang is located north of the Yangtze River, it is right on the bank of the Yangtze, so snow is extremely rare in winter. For example, right now, we cannot appreciate the noble and pure season as it should be.

Entering Donghu Garden, the first thing we see is a forest of metasequoia. The tall metasequoia trees have shed their soft leaves, leaving only straight trunks, like a team of guards guarding the entrance of Donghu Garden.

In the pond beside, we can see withered lotus leaves covering the surface. This should be a summer scene. In the season when lotus flowers are in full bloom, the leaves of the metasequoia are also at their most luxuriant, making the scenery quite pleasant.

There is a wooden bridge extending to the center of the lake, with a small pavilion at the end, presumably the Ruilian Pavilion. Its circular style appears quite harmonious in the middle of the water. Of course, there are also some evergreen trees around, adding a bit of vitality to this bleak winter scene.

The Yicui Pavilion is nestled in a bamboo grove, which is indeed a very fitting name. Although it is called a pavilion, it is actually hollow inside. Viewed from a distance, it has more artistic conception than when viewed up close.

A waterside pavilion has been built by the lake, leaning against the railings. The willow trees by the lake have only their dangling branches left. However, the willow branches are soft, giving a somewhat elegant beauty like swaying in the wind.

The aquatic plants by the lake are all withered, and it's hard to tell what species they are. Probably reeds are indispensable, since there is a scenic spot called "Reed Flowers Flying Like Snow."

To see the Reed Flowers Flying Like Snow, one should wait for late autumn. We came a bit late. Judging by the scale, this reed patch is not large, and we have no plan to come again specifically.

As for "Dreamy Marsh with Flying Egrets," the egrets have gone south for the winter. So facing this lake, we cannot feel the artistic conception of "Dreamy Marsh" at all.

The waterside corridor by the water can also reflect its shadow in the water, with graceful lines, quite reminiscent of the flavor of Jiangnan gardens. The three-arch bridge spans the river, which is the standard feature of Jiangnan water towns. "Flying Rainbow Reflecting the Moon" indeed has that kind of charm.

At Chengdong Avenue, the river is relatively narrow here, naturally dividing the entire Donghu Garden into eastern and western halves. The space under the bridge is not wasted either, with a small landscape of a flying waterfall and flowing spring.

Through the bridge opening, the water surface opens up again. Along the lake is a long corridor, at the end of which is the Shuiyun Pavilion. This open pavilion has quite a few pillars, which makes it sturdy but somewhat affects its aesthetics.

The opposite bank is rich in colors: the dark green of evergreen trees, the brownish red of metasequoia, the withered yellow of trunks. The layers of colors are reflected in the water, appearing very rich.

Walking along the lake to the end of Donghu Garden, there are artificial rockeries and stream stones. I don't know if it's due to the dry winter season, but what should be a waterfall is only a shallow spring.

In the spring are sculptures of egrets, some fluttering wings as if to fly, some strolling leisurely. They are scattered in the small pond, adding a bit of vividness.

Here, the fragrance of plum blossoms fills the air. The wintersweet flowers are in full bloom, with a strong fragrance. Plum blossoms occasionally reveal two smiling faces; one has to approach closely to smell their fragrance.

Continuing on is the east gate of Donghu Garden. We turn to the north bank. Actually, the scenery on both sides of the lake is similar, basically just vegetation and water areas, supplemented by pavilions and terraces.

The Zhuqing Hall is closed, and we cannot see inside. I guess it might be a place for drinking tea and chatting? After all, the scenery in this area is indeed quite nice.

White clouds are reflected in the lake, as if seeing another sky within reach. Around the pavilion by the lake, the plum blossoms have already bloomed three or four tenths. Sitting in the pavilion, the faint fragrance of plum blossoms in the nostrils suddenly makes winter beautiful.

The Baiyue Pavilion is a half-pavilion, with a fan-shaped window on one white wall. Looking out from here, bamboo branches slant across, bamboo leaves are emerald green, forming a fan-shaped painting.

There are also some water-level platforms by the lake, extending over the water. Looking from the north bank at the Yicui Pavilion hidden among bamboo and dense trees on the south bank, it seems to have a more serene artistic conception. Chinese classical gardens sometimes are better viewed from a distance.

There should also be a scenic spot called "Flower Sea Melting Spring." I wonder what flowers will bloom in Donghu Garden in spring, and how beautiful it will be.

It is said that the park is designed based on the poetic imagery of Hui Chong's famous poem 'Early Spring Scene on the River': "Beyond the bamboo, two or three peach blossoms; The spring river water warms, ducks first know. Wormwood covers the ground, reed shoots are short; It is the time when pufferfish are about to come upstream."

Thus, the best season to visit this park should be late spring. We came at the wrong season, unable to see peach blossoms beyond the bamboo; we can only see the winter scene of "a few plum blossoms beyond the bamboo."

Flowers fall into mud, spring does not come; lone crane by Donghu casts dual shadows.

Morning sunlight lightly cold on Xiling moon; setting sun gently cool on fine lattice window.