Built in the traditional style of the Tang Dynasty, which dates all the way back to the 7th century AD, Nan Lian Garden offers a calm escape from the heady buzz of the rest of Hong Kong. A perfect spot to wander across well-tended lawns or sip Chinese tea, it is easy to see why so many flock here.
It was under the Tang Dynasty that landscaping and garden design truly became established as a great Chinese art. Nan Lian’s design is based on a blueprint of China’s Jiangshouju Garden, the only Tang garden that still survives according to its original layout made when the plans were drafted over 1,400 years ago.
Spanning an area of over 3.5 hectares, the garden is an elegant space with beautiful water features as well as rocks, plants and trees all arranged according to strict rules. Once you enter through the Black Lintel Gate, take the one-way route that allows you to see all the garden’s best features, from the Lotus Pond and the beautiful Fragrance Hill with its orange jasmine and lilies, to the Pavilion of Absolute Perfection, the golden tower that is the garden’s centrepiece.
Take tea at Nan Lian’s teahouse, Song Cha Xie. Here you can enjoy a taste of Wuyi Yan Cha, made from tea leaves that grow on the steep cliffs at Wuyi Shan in the south-east of China’s mainland.
If you find yourself getting hungry after wandering around the beautiful garden, head for the Buddhist vegetarian restaurant just behind the waterfall. Through the huge glass window to the side of the room you gaze out at the water and the gardens whilst enjoying your meal.
Situated in Kowloon’s Diamond Hill district, Nan Lian is adjacent to Chi Lin Nunnery. It is barely five minutes’ walk from Diamond Hill MTR station, where you should take exit C2 and follow the signs. Nan Lian Garden opens every day and it is free to enter.
