Dunedin Chinese Garden, Dunedin

Dunedin Chinese Garden, Dunedin

Lan Yuan or the Dunedin Chinese Garden is New Zealand's sole Chinese Garden and one of only 3 outside China.

Lan Yuan or the Dunedin Chinese Garden is New Zealand's sole Chinese Garden and one of only 3 outside China. Spread over an area of 2500 m², the miniature landscaped garden has authentic features created from traditional Chinese materials such as lacquered Chinese fir and terracotta roof tiles crafted by artisans from Shanghai. It is laid out as a late Ming/early Qing Scholar’s garden, marked by a Pai Lou archway flanked by 2 granite lion statues at the entrance, and a 4 metre high fence all around. The passage running along the perimeter walls features hexagonal lanterns with shades depicting typical Chinese landscape paintings. At the centre is a large lake with a bridge leading to the hexagonal Heart of the Lake pavilion, surrounded by various structures including an entrance hall, a square pavilion, a study, a climbing mountain with a half-pavilion and corridor, a tea house, and a two-storey tower block housing a conference room. It is beautiful in every season, and worth a visit any time of the year.