Purple Bamboo Garden

Purple Bamboo Garden is situated at 45, Baishiqiao Lu and near the west of the Capital Gymnasium in Haidian District. In ancient times, it was a low-lying wetland. In the era of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the Tonghui River, excavated by Guo Shoujing (a mathematician and astronomer), flowed through this land. During the days of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Zizhuyuan temple was built on the north coast of the lake, and later, the statue of Avalokitesvara was worshipped in the temple under the order of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). After 1949, it was renovated and opened to public under the name of Zizhuyuan Park (Purple Bamboo Garden).
 

The garden covers an area of 473,500 square meters (117 acres), including three lakes and two small islands. The three lakes, filled with lotus blossoms, occupy one third of the area. The two small islands are surrounded by the lakes and are connected by an arch bridge. Scattered corridors and pavilions create many beautiful scenic spots throughout the Park. In the north of the park lies the enchanting serenity of Yunshi Garden, recently designed in a unique South River style. A hexagonal pavilion, an elaborate courtyard and bamboos are blended into the picturesque disorder of this untamed garden, harmonizing with the gentle slope and man-made hills created within this garden. You can also discover a river, a bridge, a lotus pond and all kinds of stones in Yunshi Garden, evoking an imaginative, fairytale landscape. In the west of the garden, there is a cockloft named Baoen Lou and a fishing hole, made up with purple bamboos. In the south of the Garden, you can find a hill house and a Children's Eden. In the middle of the garden, you can see two small islets, Blue Lotus Islet and Moon Islet. An elegant and unique double-storey waterside pavilion stands beside Moon Island, offering the perfect place to look out and admire the moon.

The most beautiful of the scenic spots is Bayixuan Pavilion, on the south side of the Blue Lotus Islet. It has an area of approximately 2,500 square meters (0.62 acres). With a lotus pond in front and ten thousand of green bamboos behind, Bayixuan Pavilion shows ingenuity in conception and design. It is interdependent of Zhuyunshi Garden and Blue Lotus Platform. The Zhuyunshi Garden are engraved with paintings and poems reflecting wind, rain, frost and snow, appreciating the variety of bamboo scenes as they change with the seasons. Lotus Ferry is another beautiful landscape within the garden. Here, the fertile soil and suitable water temperatures favors the growth of water lilies, and the lush lotuses are a truly magnificent sight to see. In summer, visitors can boat on the lake to make the most of this idyllic beauty.
 

Constructed around canals and large lakes, it is renowned for its bamboo scenery. Entering the garden, you will find yourself in a bamboo world. The garden has more than 50 species of bamboos on display. Among the diverse bamboo stock, such as mottled bamboos, purple bamboos, fishpole bamboos, the most common by far is the purple bamboo. Every year, people flock to the Bamboo Culture Festival, held from April to June. Most things in the garden are decorated with bamboo, including the floor, pavilion, table, chair and the bridge. You can find the spice of the Dong people (a minority in China) resting on the Wind and Rain Bridge. You will gain a better understanding about Chinese bamboo culture through the many kinds of bamboo buildings found here, and may even come across some of the many happily enjoy the art of bamboo dancing.