Tongle Garden is an important attraction in the Zuiweng Pavilion Scenic Area of Langya Mountain. It is located about 400 meters west of the Drunken Pavilion. The name Tongle Garden is taken from Ouyang Xiu’s famous essay “The Drunken Pavilion,” which means “drunkenness can bring joy.” The core of the garden is the Ouyang Xiu Memorial Hall. Tongle Park is divided into two courtyards, east and west, connected by a long corridor, and the environment is beautiful.
How to get to Tongle Garden?
Come out of the Drunken Pavilion and continue along the mountain road. Less than 100 meters away, you will see a large rockery engraved with the three characters “Langya Mountain.” At this point, take the old road on the right, which is covered with wildflowers. Keep going straight ahead, and you will reach Tongle Garden.
Entering Tongle Garden
Upon entering the garden, you will first see beautiful artificial hills and neatly arranged trees. The scenery here is unique, both delicate and grand. Passing through a circular archway with a Jiangnan-style design, you will enter the East Courtyard.
Highlights of the East Courtyard: Cliffside Inscriptions
The most striking feature of the East Courtyard is a massive stone wall known as the “Sky-Reaching Stone Wall.” It is said that this wall was originally left behind from a quarry. The locals cleverly turned it into a stone wall displaying calligraphy art. The wall is engraved with many words written by famous modern calligraphers, all related to the culture of Langya Mountain. Standing in front of the stone wall, you can deeply feel the long and profound cultural atmosphere of Langya Mountain. There is a small pavilion in front of the stone wall, where you can enjoy drinking tea and chatting with friends, or writing and painting.
Below the stone wall is a small pond. The pond is home to water lilies and red fish swimming about. A small white marble bridge spans the pond, leading to a natural “Peach Blossom Spring Cave,” offering a stunning view. Further inside, you can also see a small waterfall flowing down the stone wall, adding vitality to the garden and bringing joy to the koi in the pond.
Ouyang Xiu Memorial Hall
To the left of the pond is the “Ouyang Mansion,” the main building of the Ouyang Xiu Memorial Hall. Inside hangs a plaque inscribed with “The Literary Master of His Generation,” written by Ouyang Xiu’s descendant and renowned calligrapher Ouyang Zhongshi. In the center of the hall stands a nearly 3-meter-tall statue of Ouyang Xiu. The murals on the surrounding walls vividly narrate the story of Ouyang Xiu’s life, including his character, official career, academic achievements, and literary accomplishments.
The Corridor Connecting the East and West Courtyards
Exiting the Ouyang Mansion leads to a long corridor connecting to the West Courtyard. The corridor is adorned with stone inscriptions of “The Record of the Drunken Pavilion” written by calligraphers from various dynasties, as well as inscriptions by many famous figures. This is the most comprehensive collection of stone inscriptions related to “The Record of the Drunken Pavilion” in China. Strolling along the corridor, one can admire the calligraphy while once again experiencing the charm of the essay “The Record of the Drunken Pavilion.”
The West Courtyard
Follow the corridor to reach the west courtyard. The buildings here blend well with the flowers and trees, giving it the feel of an ancient academy. Among them, the “Liuyi Residence” is particularly worth seeing. This is the place where Ouyang Xiu lived in his later years, restored according to historical records. “Liuyi Jushi” was Ouyang Xiu’s self-given name in his later years. The west courtyard has a scenic area classroom and exhibition hall. The exhibition hall displays many photos and introductions of famous people visiting Langya Mountain.
Practical information
Admission: A separate ticket is required to enter Tongle Garden, which costs 5 yuan for adults.
Opening hours: Same as Langya Mountain Scenic Area openging time, please pay attention to the announcements at the scenic area.
Nearby attractions: Drunken Pavilion, Shenshu Lake, and Langya Temple are all worth seeing.
