Lu Xun's Hometown · Shen Garden Scenic Area is located in Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, consisting of two core areas: Lu Xun's Hometown and Shen Garden, with a total area of about 5.7 hectares. Among them, Lu Xun's Hometown covers an area of about 4.1 hectares, and Shen Garden covers an area of about 1.6 hectares. It is a comprehensive scenic area integrating a celebrity's hometown, historical gardens, and cultural experiences.
The scenic area features Lu Xun culture and Southern Song Dynasty love culture as its core, retaining a large number of architectural styles from the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a total construction area of about 18,000 square meters. It includes historical sites such as Lu Xun's Ancestral Residence, Lu Xun's Former Residence, Baicao Garden, and Sanwei Study, as well as Shen Garden, a private garden of the Southern Song Dynasty. As an important carrier of Shaoxing's historical culture, the scenic area receives over 3 million visitors annually and is a landmark scenic spot showcasing Shaoxing's folk customs and literary heritage.
Historical Culture
The history of Lu Xun's Hometown is closely linked to the Lu Xun family. Lu Xun (1881-1936) was a famous modern Chinese writer and thinker. His former residence and the surrounding environment were the places where he lived in his childhood and adolescence, and also the prototypes for literary works such as "From Baicao Garden to Sanwei Study" and "Hometown". Lu Xun's Ancestral Residence was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, and Lu Xun's Former Residence is a late Qing Dynasty building. These buildings witnessed Lu Xun's growth and reflected the life style of Shaoxing gentry families in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China.
The history of Shen Garden can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). It was originally a private garden of the Shen family, a literati in the Southern Song Dynasty, with a history of over 800 years. It is famous for the love story between Lu You, a patriotic poet of the Southern Song Dynasty, and Tang Wan. They met here and wrote the poem "Phoenix Hairpin", which became a classic love tragedy in Chinese literary history. Therefore, Shen Garden has become a symbol of love culture. Most of the existing buildings were rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties, retaining the typical style of Jiangnan gardens.
The ancient city of Shaoxing where the scenic area is located is the ancient capital of the Yue State with a long history. The area where Lu Xun's Hometown and Shen Garden are located retains Shaoxing's traditional "small bridges, flowing water and houses" pattern, as well as folk cultural elements such as Wu Peng boats, yellow rice wine, and community operas. It is a concentrated embodiment of Shaoxing's water town culture and folk customs.
Main Attractions
Lu Xun's Former Residence
Lu Xun's Former Residence is located in the middle of Lu Xun's Hometown scenic area. It is where Lu Xun lived in his adolescence, covering an area of about 500 square meters, and is a late Qing Dynasty brick-wood structure residence. The former residence is divided into parts such as the gate, main hall, side rooms, and buildings. Lu Xun's bedroom is on the second floor, with simple furnishings, retaining the original desk, bed, etc. The former residence displays the living scenes of Lu Xun's family and documents related to Lu Xun's creations, and is an important place to understand Lu Xun's life.
Sanwei Study
Sanwei Study is located to the east of Lu Xun's Former Residence. It is the private school where Lu Xun studied in his youth (12-17 years old), covering an area of about 200 square meters, and is a Qing Dynasty building. The study was presided over by Mr. Shou Jingwu, and Lu Xun studied classics such as "The Four Books" and "The Five Classics" here. The main hall of the study is hung with the plaque "Sanwei Study", and the pillars on both sides are engraved with the couplet "The greatest joy is silent, only filial piety and fraternity; the most delicious soup has flavor, which is poetry and books". Lu Xun's seat is in the northeast corner of the study, and the word "zao" (early) he carved on the desk is still there, becoming a symbol of diligent study.
Baicao Garden
Baicao Garden is the vegetable garden behind Lu Xun's Former Residence, covering an area of about 1400 square meters, and was originally the private vegetable garden of Lu Xun's family. The garden is planted with Chinese honey locust trees, mulberries, raspberries and other plants, as well as facilities such as stone well rails and mud wall roots, which are basically consistent with the scenes described by Lu Xun in "From Baicao Garden to Sanwei Study". Visitors can feel the childhood fun described by Lu Xun: "Needless to say the green vegetable plots, the smooth stone well rails, the tall Chinese honey locust trees, and the purple mulberries".
Shen Garden
Shen Garden is located about 500 meters south of Lu Xun's Hometown. It is a famous Jiangnan garden of the Southern Song Dynasty, with a total area of about 1.6 hectares, consisting of three parts: East Garden, South Garden, and North Garden. There are buildings such as Gu He Xuan, Ban Bi Ting, and Shuang Gui Tang in the garden, as well as the "Phoenix Hairpin Stele" inscribed by Lu You and Tang Wan. The garden centers on water scenery, with rockeries, pavilions, flowers and trees arranged in an orderly manner, reflecting the typical feature of "changing scenery with each step" of Jiangnan gardens. The night performance "Night of Shen Garden" reproduces the love story of Lu You and Tang Wan through lights and dramas.
Lu Xun's Ancestral Residence
Lu Xun's Ancestral Residence, also known as "Zhou Family Old Gate", is located to the west of Lu Xun's Former Residence. It is where Lu Xun's ancestors lived, built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, covering an area of about 1000 square meters, and is a typical Shaoxing gate building. The ancestral residence is composed of the entrance hall, main hall, incense hall, and seated building, with a grand scale and exquisite decoration, displaying the etiquette and living scenes of Shaoxing gentry families in the Qing Dynasty. The plaque "De Shou Tang" in the main hall was made in the Qing Dynasty, reflecting the family's moral pursuit.
Lu Xun Memorial Hall
Lu Xun Memorial Hall is located at the entrance of Lu Xun's Hometown scenic area, with a construction area of about 6000 square meters, and is a modern exhibition hall. With the theme of "Lu Xun's Life and Creation", the hall systematically displays Lu Xun's life through objects, pictures, sculptures, multimedia, etc., including his life in Shaoxing, experience of studying in Japan, and literary creation process. The hall also has a Lu Xun's works reading room and an interactive experience area, which is an important place for researching and commemorating Lu Xun.
Food
Shaoxing Yellow Rice Wine Popsicle
Shaoxing Yellow Rice Wine Popsicle is a special snack around Lu Xun's Hometown. It is made from Shaoxing yellow rice wine, added with milk, cream, etc., with a delicate texture and a light aroma of yellow rice wine, and extremely low alcohol content (about 0.5%). It is sold in shops in Lu Xun's Hometown scenic area at a price of about 5 yuan per piece. It is a favorite cool dessert of tourists and an innovative embodiment of Shaoxing yellow rice wine culture.
Fennel Beans
Fennel beans are a traditional snack in Shaoxing, famous because Lu Xun mentioned "Warm a bowl of wine and ask for a plate of fennel beans" in "Kong Yiji". Fennel beans are made from broad beans, boiled with cinnamon, fennel, salt and other seasonings, with a greenish-yellow color, soft and glutinous taste, and salty and fragrant flavor. They can be tasted in "Xianheng Hotel" in Lu Xun's Hometown, with a small plate priced at about 8 yuan. They taste better when paired with Shaoxing yellow rice wine.
Wu Peng Boat Feast
Wu Peng Boat Feast is a special catering form in Shaoxing. Tourists can take a Wu Peng boat (from Lu Xun's Hometown to Shen Garden) and taste Shaoxing special dishes on the boat, such as drunk shrimp, drunk crab, and Shaoxing braised pork. The price of the boat feast package is about 150-200 yuan per person, including 4-6 dishes, paired with Shaoxing yellow rice wine. At the same time, you can enjoy the scenery of the water town along the way and experience the artistic conception of "the boat swims in the water, and people sit in the painting".
Surrounding Food
"Xianheng Hotel" near Lu Xun's Hometown is a century-old restaurant. In addition to fennel beans, its pickled chicken, pickled pork and other pickled products are also very distinctive, with a portion of pickled chicken priced at about 38 yuan; "Shaoxing Restaurant" around Shen Garden serves Shaoxing stinky tofu, which is crispy outside and tender inside, with a portion priced at 10 yuan; in addition, new snacks such as Shaoxing yellow rice wine milk tea (about 12 yuan per cup) and butter xiaopan (traditional pastry, about 3 yuan each) are also popular among tourists and can be bought in shops around the scenic area.
Tickets
Lu Xun's Hometown scenic area is open for free, but an appointment is required in advance. The ticket for Shen Garden scenic area is 40 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "绍兴鲁迅故里 沈园景区" to get the latest news or make an appointment and buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
Lu Xun's Hometown scenic area is open from 8:30 to 17:00 (April 1st - October 31st), and from 8:30 to 16:30 (November 1st - March 31st of the next year), with admission stopped at 16:30; the opening hours of Shen Garden during the day are the same as those of Lu Xun's Hometown; the night tour hours of Shen Garden are from 18:30 to 21:00 (October 1st - April 30th of the next year), and from 19:00 to 21:30 (May 1st - September 30th).
Tour Route
Recommended one-day tour route: Arrive at the entrance of Lu Xun's Hometown scenic area at 9:00 am, enter the park by swiping your ID card, and visit Lu Xun Memorial Hall (1 hour); visit Lu Xun's Ancestral Residence (40 minutes) and Lu Xun's Former Residence (40 minutes) at 10:00; go to Sanwei Study at 11:20 (30 minutes), and then go to Baicao Garden after the visit (30 minutes); have lunch at Xianheng Hotel at 12:20, tasting fennel beans and Shaoxing yellow rice wine (1 hour); walk to Shen Garden at 13:30 (about 10 minutes), and visit Shen Garden's historic site area and Lu You Memorial Hall (1.5 hours); experience Wu Peng boat at 15:10 (from Shen Garden Wharf to Lu Xun's Hometown Wharf, with a boat ride of 20 minutes, costing 60 yuan per person); buy yellow rice wine popsicles, fennel beans and other specialties in Lu Xun's Hometown at 16:00, and end the trip.
Transportation
- Bus: Multiple bus routes in Shaoxing can reach Lu Xun's Hometown, among which routes 1, 7, 10, 24, and 30 directly reach "Lu Xun's Hometown" station, with a fare of 1 yuan; BRT Line 1 gets off at "Lu Xun's Hometown" station, with a fare of 2 yuan.
- High-speed rail: Take bus BRT Line 1 from Shaoxing North Station (high-speed rail station) to "Lu Xun's Hometown" station, with a journey of about 40 minutes and a fare of 3 yuan; take a taxi for about 50 yuan, with a journey of 25 minutes.
- Self-driving: Starting from downtown Hangzhou, exit at Shaoxing via Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, drive south along Zhongxing Middle Road for about 3 kilometers, with a journey of about 1.5 hours; there are Lu Xun's Hometown Parking Lot and Shen Garden Parking Lot around the scenic area, with about 300 parking spaces and a parking fee of 8 yuan per hour.
- Taxi: Taking a taxi from Shaoxing Station (old railway station) to Lu Xun's Hometown costs about 10 yuan, with a journey of 10 minutes; taking a taxi from Shaoxing East Station to the scenic area costs about 30 yuan, with a journey of 20 minutes.
Must-visit Attractions
- Sanwei Study: A 200-square-meter Qing Dynasty private school where Lu Xun studied in his youth, retaining the original "zao" (early) character desk and other objects. It is the prototype of "From Baicao Garden to Sanwei Study", full of literary memories.
- Baicao Garden: A 1400-square-meter vegetable garden, where Lu Xun played in his childhood, highly consistent with the description in the text. It allows you to feel the childhood fun described by Lu Xun and is a must-visit place for literary lovers.
- Shen Garden: A 1.6-hectare Southern Song Dynasty garden, famous for the love story of Lu You and Tang Wan in "Phoenix Hairpin". The "Phoenix Hairpin" stele in the garden is the core attraction, and the night live performance is worth watching.
- Lu Xun's Former Residence: A 500-square-meter late Qing Dynasty residence where Lu Xun lived in his adolescence, retaining the original furnishings, displaying the living scenes of Lu Xun's family, and is an important window to understand Lu Xun's life.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to avoid peak holidays (such as May Day and National Day) when there are many tourists, and you need to queue up at attractions such as Sanwei Study and Shen Garden. The best visiting time is 9:00-11:00 am on working days.
- When visiting Lu Xun Memorial Hall, you can rent an audio guide (20 yuan per unit) or participate in the free regular explanation of the scenic area (10:00 am and 14:00 pm) to gain an in-depth understanding of Lu Xun's literary achievements.
- The live performance of "Phoenix Hairpin" in Shen Garden's night tour (18:30-21:00) combines lights and dramas, with a strong sense of experience. It is recommended to make an appointment on the official public account 1 day in advance, with a ticket price of 80 yuan per person.
- It is recommended to taste fennel beans at the headquarters of "Xianheng Hotel", which is a century-old brand with a simple environment, and you can also take photos with the statue of Kong Yiji.
- Pay attention to heatstroke prevention when visiting in summer, as there are few shade trees in the scenic area; it is relatively humid and cold in winter, so it is recommended to wear waterproof shoes and carry rain gear (there is much light rain in Shaoxing).
Matters Needing Attention
- Lu Xun's Former Residence, Sanwei Study, etc. are cultural relics protection units. It is forbidden to touch exhibits, climb buildings, and use flash when taking photos.
- When taking a Wu Peng boat, you must wear a life jacket, do not lean out of the boat, and keep your mobile phone, camera and other items safe to prevent them from falling into the water.
- There are many shops in the scenic area. When buying specialties such as yellow rice wine, pay attention to check the production date. The price in supermarkets outside the scenic area may be more favorable.
- Shaoxing's water town has many stone slab roads, which are slippery on rainy days. It is recommended to wear non-slip shoes; some sections are narrow, so pay attention to avoiding pedestrians, especially in peak seasons.
- The area of "Phoenix Hairpin" stele in Shen Garden is crowded with tourists. Please queue up when taking photos to avoid crowding; follow the guide when visiting at night and pay attention to safety under your feet.
- It is forbidden to bring pets and use drones in the scenic area. Smoking must be in designated areas, and violators will be fined (50-200 yuan).